When I first thought about removing Google Search from my computing experience years ago, it seemed like a nightmare scenario. How can I be sure that the alternatives I chose will return the same results as Google Search? That they would be just as reliable?
It took me a while to start using alternatives to Google Search. I didn’t rip the bandage off in one smooth motion. First, I replaced Google Search with DuckDuckGo on the iPhone. A little later I did the same on the Mac. Initially, I would use Google Search and DuckDuckGo side by side.
Then came AI products like ChatGPT and Perplexity that made it even easier to ditch Google Search.
Little did I know that my Google Search independence would pay off so soon. Google released an upgrade to Google Search after I/O 2024 that not many people are excited about. AI reviews are now part of the standard Google Search experience. There are ways to go back to traditional search. And then there’s the “nuclear” solution: removing Google Search from your browsing habits.
I’m here to tell you that whichever way you choose will work great for you, even if removing Google Search from your usual web browsing behavior sounds scary.
How to fix Google Search
There is no real problem with offering AI results on Google Search. But it has to be our choice. Google made it mandatory after I/O and it pissed off a lot of people.
Instead of giving up on Google Search, there are ways to fix the problem with the AI Overview created by Google. First, you can use Google’s own patch. We showed you how to use Google Search with the new web filter that only shows text links in search results.
The other solution is to use a Chrome extension to block Google AI reviews in search. The irony is strong in this, since Chrome is a Google product whose main job is to ensure that Google Search has a prominent place on your computers.
If Google Search is one of the apps you rely on to get things done, but you hate the AI results, these are the fixes you can apply right now. There’s no guarantee they’ll work forever, but they’ll solve your problems for now. Hopefully Google will hear all the negative feedback and fix the problem they created.
Alternatives to Google Search
But I will tell you that the internet can still be used if you decide to opt out of Google Search. You’ll still find the things you’re looking for whether you use AI products or not. My search engine is DuckDuckGo, but you can use Bing and other alternatives. DuckDuckGo also works with Bing, and my ChatGPT searches also run through Bing.
In addition to ChatGPT, I use Perplexity to search the web when I’m having AI conversations about topics that require that particular back-and-forth experience.
So my Googling consists of a combination of AI and traditional search, depending on what I need. The key detail here is that I am in charge of using AI.
I will also say that I use a lot of other Google products. I feel like he’s stealing them. Google apps are technically free to use, but since I don’t use Google Search that much, I don’t “pay” for them entirely because I’m not as exposed to Google’s big ad-based money-making system.
Finally, I’ll note that I’m not completely turned off by Google Search. For example, I use Google Maps to search for places and businesses, and this is an experience with Google Search.
I can also use Google Search in incognito mode if I feel like I’m not finding something I normally would. Another alternative would be for Microsoft’s server to crash and take down Bing search, DuckDuckGo, ChatGPT, and anything else that might be running there.
That is, I’m not completely turned off by Google Search. But its presence has been reduced to such an extent that AI reviews are not a problem. On that note, I will also say that I have yet to see AI Overviews in Europe. Therefore, I am now somewhat protected from them. But they will be released everywhere before the end of the year.
In addition, AI Overviews will receive advertisements, which may further complicate the relationship with Google Search.
My understanding is that whatever happens with Google’s AI in search will have minimal impact on my web search experience after opting out of Google Search. And I don’t miss it at all.
