---
title: "DuckDuckGo installs jump 30% after Google's AI search overhaul"
description: "After Google pushed AI deeper into Search, more US users switched to DuckDuckGo, especially on iPhone."
url: https://kurddevelopers.com/en/news/duckduckgo-installs-up-google-ai-search
language: en # English
type: news
published: 2026-05-26T20:50:00.000Z
updated: 2026-11-02T04:31:51.000Z
author: "Osamah Ismail"
author_url: https://kurddevelopers.com/en/author/1
section: "AI"
tags: ["DuckDuckGo","Google","AI Search","Privacy"]
sources: ["TechCrunch","Google Blog","Apptopia"]
image: https://kurddevelopers.com/uploads/2026/11/duckduckgo-noai-e6339c09.png
translations:
  ku: https://kurddevelopers.com/news/duckduckgo-installs-up-google-ai-search
  ar: https://kurddevelopers.com/ar/news/duckduckgo-installs-up-google-ai-search
publisher: Kurd Developers
publisher_url: https://kurddevelopers.com/
---

# DuckDuckGo installs jump 30% after Google's AI search overhaul

> After Google pushed AI deeper into Search, more US users switched to DuckDuckGo, especially on iPhone.

![Image: DuckDuckGo](https://kurddevelopers.com/uploads/2026/11/duckduckgo-noai-e6339c09.png)

## What happened
After Google made **AI** central to Search at **I/O 2026**, **DuckDuckGo** app installs rose sharply in the US.

## The numbers
- US installs grew **18.1%** week over week on average, peaking at **30.5%** on May 25.
- On **iOS**, average growth was **33%**, peaking at **69.9%**.
- Visits to **noai.duckduckgo.com** grew **22.7%**.
- Apptopia saw a **29%** rise in average daily US downloads and **12%** globally.

## But
- DuckDuckGo has about **2%** of the US search market.
- Google says **AI Mode** has passed **one billion** monthly users.

DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg: "Google is force-feeding AI with no way to opt out."

**Sources:** TechCrunch, Google Blog, Apptopia

---

Published by [Kurd Developers](https://kurddevelopers.com/) on 2026-05-26. Cite as: “DuckDuckGo installs jump 30% after Google's AI search overhaul”, Kurd Developers, https://kurddevelopers.com/en/news/duckduckgo-installs-up-google-ai-search