Six search engines worth trying now that Google isn’t really Google anymore

Key Points:

• Google announced a major overhaul of its Search engine at Google I/O 2026, introducing a conversational, AI-driven approach with AI agents that can notify users about personalized updates, marking the biggest change to its search box in over 25 years.
• The update includes an AI mode option and AI Overviews with chat boxes for follow-up questions, making Google Search resemble AI chatbots like ChatGPT, but this change has faced backlash from users tired of pervasive AI integration and Google's dominance.
• Alternatives to Google Search are gaining attention, including Kagi, which offers an ad-free, customizable search experience with optional AI summaries for a subscription fee, and DuckDuckGo, a free search engine that prioritizes user privacy by not collecting personal data and allows opting out of AI features.
• Other options include Startpage, which proxies Google search results without tracking user data, &udm=14, a tool that removes AI overviews from Google results, Brave, a Chromium-based browser and search engine with curated search filters and AI toggle, and Ecosia, an eco-friendly search engine and browser also based on Chromium.
• These alternatives appeal to users seeking privacy, ad-free experiences, or less intrusive AI integration as Google’s AI-centric search approach risks alienating some of its longstanding user base.