Danny Weber
Google's biggest search update in 25 years introduces AI conversations. Explore alternatives like Kagi, DuckDuckGo, Startpage, and more to avoid AI overload. Find your perfect search engine.
Google Search is getting another major overhaul. At Google I/O 2026, the company unveiled a significant update that shifts the search experience toward a conversational format with AI-powered tools. Users now get AI Mode out of the gate, and even standard searches can trigger an AI Overview — a block that provides an AI-generated answer and lets users ask follow-up questions. The result is that the familiar search bar increasingly feels like a dialogue with ChatGPT.
Google calls this the biggest update to the search bar in over 25 years. However, user reaction has been mixed: some see it as yet another example of tech companies embedding chatbots and AI agents into nearly every product. Distrust was compounded by the earlier controversial launch of AI Overviews, which has left many wary of yet another search overhaul.
The discontent isn't just about generative AI. Google has long had another problem — a sense of excessive dominance. In 2024, a US court ruled that the company illegally maintained a monopoly in online search. Against this backdrop, interest in alternative search engines makes perfect sense: some want less AI, others more privacy, and some simply want to regain control over their results.
Kagi offers a paid approach to search: for $5 per month, you get an ad-free search engine without AI Overviews, and for $10 per month, an unlimited queries plan. The key difference is not only the lack of an advertising model but also the ability to customize results. Users can filter individual sites and use so-called lenses. For example, an academic lens helps find journal articles on a topic rather than regular blog posts. AI isn't completely absent in Kagi — the Quick Answer feature can briefly summarize a response and show sources, but it's optional.
For those not willing to pay for search, TechCrunch suggests looking at DuckDuckGo. The service makes money from ads but does not collect search history, browsing history, or purchase history. Advertisements are based on the current query, not a user profile. DuckDuckGo's interface largely resembles Google's. Like many modern search engines, it can show an AI-generated answer in results. But an important detail is that users can fully disable AI features in settings.
Startpage acts as an intermediary between the user and Google. When someone enters a query, the service removes personal data, including the IP address, sends the request to Google via the cloud, and returns the results. Essentially, it's a way to get Google results without revealing your identity to Google. But there's an obvious downside: the source of the results remains the same. That said, Startpage also allows disabling AI features.
Another option for those who want to keep Google results but remove the AI overview is the search engine &udm=14. Its name refers to the string you can add to Google queries to get results without AI Overview. Manually adding this parameter each time is inconvenient, so &udm=14 does it automatically. The developer also posted the code on GitHub for anyone who wants to run their own version. From a privacy standpoint, TechCrunch contrasts it with Startpage: if data protection is paramount, Startpage is a better choice.
Brave is known not only for its browser but also for its own search engine. The browser is built on Chromium — the same open-source base as Google Chrome — so it supports Chrome extensions. This can be convenient for those who want to move away from Chrome but are not ready to give up their familiar plugins. In search, Brave focuses on customizing results through third-party Goggles. These allow you to filter results by various criteria: for example, news with a right or left slant, tech blogs, Hacker News-inspired collections, or results without Pinterest. AI features in Brave can be toggled on and off.
Ecosia, like Brave, offers both a browser and a search engine. The browser is also based on Chromium, so Chrome extensions should work here too. The service's main idea is environmental focus. Ecosia earns money from ads and channels about 80% of its revenue to tree-planting projects worldwide. TechCrunch notes that tree planting sometimes raises concerns about greenwashing, but Ecosia works with local communities, publishes monthly financial reports, and shares the results of its initiatives.
There is no one-size-fits-all replacement. Kagi suits those willing to pay for ad-free search without forced AI blocks. DuckDuckGo is a free option with a focus on privacy. Startpage and &udm=14 maintain a connection to Google results but handle privacy and AI disabling differently. Brave offers more tools for customizing results, and Ecosia adds an environmental angle to search. The bottom line is simple: if the updated Google feels too conversational and AI-heavy, the choice is no longer limited to the one familiar search engine.
© B. Naumkin