Of course, this doesn’t just affect Google: similar scenarios are currently playing out at practically every large and small tech provider. AI is being “crammed” into every conceivable corner, as long as the technology is somehow integrated. Creating an optimal user experience has moved far down on many priority lists – or been completely ignored. A development that creates new space for a premium feature: No AI at all – or the possibility of using the technology if necessary to deactivate completely.
This trend is currently still in its infancy, but it is very real, as the example of Kagi shows. This ad-free service with a data protection focus has been in development for several years with the aim of establishing a viable alternative to Google searches. The young company’s offering is simple: for a monthly fee (starting at five dollars), users receive a search engine experience that is designed to help them move forward – instead of serving the interests of advertisers and companies’ AI initiatives.
With Kagi, the search itself is simple, effective and completely free of AI-generated summaries. This is obviously catching on: from the end of July 2023 to today (as of July 2026), Kagi’s user base has increased more than tenfold. Of course, this is still a niche phenomenon in terms of the global tech landscape, but demand is growing rapidly. And Kagi isn’t the only provider that has recognized the opportunities this presents: Virtually every time Google integrates AI even further into its search functions, alternative search provider DuckDuckGo (where AI is also optional) reports an increase his User numbers.
