Is it time to abandon Google for good?

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 would provide the same results as Google Search? That they would be just as reliable?

It took me a while before I started using Google search alternatives. I didn’t rip the bandage off all at once. I first replaced Google Search with DuckDuckGo on iPhone. A little later I did the same thing on Mac. At first, I would use Google Search and DuckDuckGo in parallel.

Then AI products like ChatGPT and Perplexity came along, and they made it even easier to wean myself off Google search.

Little did I know that my Google search independence would pay off so soon. Google rolled out an upgrade to Google Search after I/O 2024 that many people aren’t thrilled about. AI previews are now part of the default Google search experience. There are ways to return to a traditional search experience. And then there is the “nuclear” solution: eliminate Google search from your browsing habits.

I’m here to tell you that whatever path you choose, it will work just fine for you, even if removing Google Search from your usual web browsing behavior seems scary.

How to Fix Google Search

There is no real problem with offering AI results in Google Search. But it should be our choice. Google made it mandatory after I/O, which angered many people.

Rather than abandoning Google Search, there are ways to solve the AI ​​presentation problem created by Google. First of all, you can use Google’s fix. 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 previews in Search. The irony is strong with this one, because Chrome is a Google product whose primary job is to ensure that Google Search takes pride of place on your computers.

If Google Search is one of the apps you rely on to get things done but hate the AI ​​results, here are the fixes you can apply right now. There is no guarantee that they will work forever, but they will solve your problems for now. Hopefully Google will hear all the negative comments and fix the problem they created.

Alternatives to Google Search

But I can tell you that the Internet is still usable if you decide to ditch Google search. You will always find what you are looking for, whether you use AI products or not. My favorite 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 conducting AI conversations on topics that require that particular back-and-forth experience.

Therefore, my Google search 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 many other Google products. I feel like I’m stealing them. Technically, Google apps are free, but since I don’t use Google search as much, I don’t “pay” for them in full, because I’m not as exposed to Google’s big, lucrative ad-based system. .

Finally, I will note that I am not completely out of Google search. For example, I use Google Maps to search for places and businesses, and it’s a Google search experience.

Additionally, I can 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 remove Bing, DuckDuckGo, ChatGPT search and anything else that might be running on it.

In other words, I’m not completely out of Google search. But its presence is so small that AI glimpses aren’t a problem. In this regard, I will also say that I have not yet seen any presentations of AI in Europe. Therefore, I am already somewhat safe from them. But they will be deployed everywhere before the end of the year.

Additionally, AI previews will receive ads, which could further complicate the relationship with Google Search.

What I understand is that whatever happens with Google’s AI in search will have minimal impact on my web search experience now that I’ve abandoned Google Search. And I don’t miss it at all.