DuckDuckGo Surges 30% as Google AI Search Backfires

Google's decision to replace traditional search results with AI agents at I/O 2026 has triggered an immediate backlash, with DuckDuckGo app installs jumping 30% as users hunt for an exit. The scale of the shift suggests Google may have badly misjudged how attached people are to the humble blue link. It is the fastest measurable user revolt against a major Google product change in recent memory.