Watch Conan O’Brien joke about AI replacement and the Harvard lawsuit
Comedian Conan O’Brien poked fun at the Trump administration’s lawsuit against Harvard University during his commencement speech.
Google is changing, and some users want a search engine that reminds them of the “good old days.”
On May 19, Google announced its “biggest update” to its search bar in more than 25 years: the addition of artificial intelligence features. While classic Google Search isn’t going away, the tech giant has rolled out several new updates to Google Search AI mode, including more natural chatbot conversations, the introduction of an AI personal assistant, and improved online booking features. While Google touts the feature, some users interested in searching the internet without AI are turning to alternative search engines.
Competitors also say they are seeing an increase in users following Google’s updates.
DuckDuckGo, a search engine that facilitates privacy-protected searches, has seen an increase in downloads since Google’s May 19 announcement.
On June 1, DuckDuckGo’s search traffic hit an all-time high, with U.S. installs peaking for the week of June 1, up 76% from the week of May 12 (prior to Google’s announcement), DuckDuckGo’s chief communications and policy officer Kamil Buzzbaz told USA TODAY. Bazbaz did not elaborate on the engine’s search traffic records, but said that on average, DuckDuckGo receives more than 110 million searches per day.
Germany-based search engine Ecosia is also seeing increased usage. Christian Kroll, CEO and founder of Ecosia, told USA TODAY in an email that searches for Ecosia have increased nearly 40% in the past two weeks and installations have more than doubled.
“We’re seeing a clear sentiment that people don’t want AI to be an option anymore, and that’s reflected in the numbers,” Kroll said. “They are fleeing Big Tech and seeking alternatives that align with their values.”
Increased use of Google web filters
Although there are many alternative search engines, the use of web filters created by Google is also increasing. When Google announced its AI Overview in 2024, it created a web filter that users could add to the end of a Google search URL to view Google search results. without it Introduction to AI. The web filter is a text string, “&udm=14”.
Shortly after the web filter was secretly released, technology writer Ernie Smith created a web page for it, udm14.com. When searching on Smith’s web page, the filter is automatically added to the search without the user having to manually add the filter to the end of the search URL.
Smith told USA TODAY that the week of May 25 was the website’s busiest week, with about 70,000 visitors. For comparison, Smith said udm14.com receives about 40,000 to 50,000 visitors most weeks (though its highest number of visitors was 130,000 when it launched in 2024).
“It’s really, really gratifying to see Wikipedia appear in the first few listings,” content creator Mike Newins said on Instagram Reels, explaining why he made the switch to UDM14.
How has Google search changed?
Despite all the noise about the Google Search update, not much has actually changed. The classic Google search experience still exists, where users enter a question or keyword and are presented with a list of blue links to various websites. Most of the changes are to Google Search AI mode, which users must turn on to use.
Why are people leaving Google and switching search engines?
As AI chatbots become more sophisticated and platforms like Google continue to integrate the technology, some people are looking for ways to distance themselves from the technology.
In a comment on a recent TikTok video talking about the move to DuckDuckGo, content creator Allie Meeks answered why the addition of AI capabilities led her to move away from Google.
Meeks answered, “This is because generative AI has a large negative impact on the environment.” “There are three data centers being built near me that will impact water quality, raise temperatures, cause severe noise pollution, and impact local farmers. That’s something I don’t want to be involved in or support.”
With more than 4,300 data centers operating across the United States, environmentalists and anti-AI activists say these computing facilities waste energy and water resources, pollute the air, create noise for nearby residents, and create a disproportionate number of temporary jobs.
Kroll said companies like Ecosia are also noticing increased interest in the ability to turn off AI capabilities.
As of the latest update, there is no way for Google users to turn off Google AI Overview without taking additional steps, such as using the web filter &udm=14.
Engines like DuckDuckGo and Ecosia provide AI summaries, but both allow users to turn off AI summaries in the engine’s settings. DuckDuckGo also allows users to turn off the ability to display AI-generated images. Another search engine, Startpage, works similarly and allows users to toggle AI features on and off.
While some online users may jump at it, a Google search will lead you nowhere. When asked to respond to the backlash, a Google spokesperson cited a blog post from Google’s vice president of search, Elizabeth Reid, announcing the change.
“People are realizing how much more they can accomplish with search and are searching more than ever before, so much so that queries reached an all-time high last quarter,” Reid wrote.
How to switch to search engine
Trying out a new search engine is very easy. Before using a new search engine, users can test the search engine by visiting a website. For example, if you use the Google Chrome browser, you can still visit DuckDuckGo.com and search on the platform.
However, perhaps the best way to use a search engine is to download it to your device via your desktop or smartphone, similar to how you download Google Chrome or Firefox. Although it may sound counterintuitive, users can also change their default browser in Google Chrome.
To change your default browser in Google Chrome, click the three dots in the upper-right corner, then click (Settings). On the left side of the settings menu, click Search Engine. Select Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, or Yandex as the default.
On smartphones, users can also change the default browser in the phone’s settings.
iPhone users using Safari can search for Safari in the Settings app, click on (Search Engines), and choose from Google, Yahoo, Bing, Baidu, DuckDuckGo, Sogou, 360 Search, and Ecosia.
Although the Android operating system is owned by Google, users can still change their default browser. Open the Google Chrome app and click (Settings) then (Search Engine). Select Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, or Yandex as the default.
Greta Cross is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Story ideas? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
