TechCrunch lists six alternatives as Google Search shifts to AI chat

In short: As Google Search adds more built-in AI chat, TechCrunch highlighted six other search engines people can try instead.

What's going on

Google said at its I/O 2026 event that Search is being redesigned to feel more conversational. That means you may be invited to use an “AI mode” right away. Even if you do not pick it, Google can still show an “AI Overview,” which is an AI-written summary at the top of results.

TechCrunch reports that many users are not excited about this shift, partly because of past mistakes in AI Overviews. The article also notes that some people are tired of how dominant Google is in search, and points to a 2024 US court ruling that said Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly in online search.

For people who want a different experience, TechCrunch lists six alternatives. They include Kagi, a paid search engine that aims to be ad-free. They also include DuckDuckGo, which says it does not build an ad profile based on your personal history, and Startpage, which acts like a middleman to Google (like asking a friend to do the searching so Google does not see who you are).

Other options in the list are &udm=14, which automatically removes AI Overviews from Google results, Brave, which offers filters that can reshape what sources you see, and Ecosia, which says it donates a large share of its ad revenue to tree-planting.

What to watch

As Google pushes more AI answers and chat into Search, more people may try services that let them turn AI summaries off, or avoid them entirely. It is also worth watching whether Google makes it easier to opt out.

Source: TechCrunch AI