Over the past year, AI has infiltrated so many aspects of our lives. It's everywhere, and sometimes it feels like you can't avoid it. The good news is that, in some instances, you can avoid it. Such is the case with search engines. While many major search engines now integrate AI-generated summaries, overviews, or answers into their results, you don't have to put up with them. There is a straightforward, browser-agnostic way to automatically keep AI out of your search results, and it works in nearly every browser—from Chrome and Firefox to Edge and Opera. Even Safari can be tweaked with a slight workaround.

Why would you want to do this?

Before diving into the how, it's worth understanding the why. AI in search results is not just an annoyance—it carries real-world consequences. First and foremost, AI is a major drain on the electrical grid. Every time you run a search that uses AI, it adds to the enormous energy consumption of AI datacenters. These facilities require vast amounts of electricity to process queries and generate responses, and they consume dangerous amounts of water to keep their servers cool. By avoiding AI-enhanced searches, you reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable internet.

On top of the environmental impact, AI is not always correct. I have, on several occasions, found information offered by AI to be incorrect. I've tested this with several Linux questions and regularly find some bit of AI-produced information to be false. AI models can hallucinate—they invent facts, cite nonexistent sources, or misinterpret data. Relying on AI for critical research can lead to embarrassing mistakes or even dangerous misinformation. Furthermore, AI summaries often strip out context and nuance, presenting oversimplified answers that may not fully address the user's intent.

Another concern is privacy. AI-powered search engines often collect more data about your queries to train their models, raising questions about how your personal information is used. By switching to a standard, AI-free search, you gain more control over your digital footprint.

Given these reasons, it makes sense to want a clean, traditional search experience—just links and snippets, no AI interference. But how can you achieve this without manually filtering results every time? The answer lies in creating a custom search engine in your browser.

The core technique: a URL parameter that removes AI

The secret weapon is a simple URL parameter that tells Google (or another search engine) to return results in a format that does not include AI features. For Google, this parameter is &udm=14. When appended to the search URL, it forces Google to display only the classic web results, skipping AI Overviews, Knowledge Panels, and other AI-generated elements. The exact URL to use is: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14. Here, %s is a placeholder for your search query, which the browser automatically replaces when you type a search term.

This trick works because Google supports multiple user-defined modes (UDM) that switch between different result layouts. UDM 14 specifically targets the "Web" tab with minimal AI integration. It is reliable as of early 2026, though Google may change its internal codes over time. However, there is an active community of developers who track such changes and update workarounds. Even if the parameter changes, the principle remains: you can control the output by modifying the search URL.

Now, let's look at how to set up this custom search engine in the most popular browsers.

Firefox search engine customization

Mozilla Firefox makes it relatively simple to add custom search engines, though you cannot directly edit the default Google entry. To get around that, we're going to create a new search engine that uses Google but with the AI-free parameter.

Open Firefox and go to Settings (you can find this in the menu under the three horizontal lines). In the left sidebar, click Search. Scroll down until you see the Search Shortcuts section. At the bottom of that list, click the Add button.

A pop-up dialog will appear with three fields:

• Search Engine Name: Give this a human-readable name, such as "Google (No AI)".
• URL: Enter https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14.
• Keyword: Use a short keyword like aig (short for "AI-less Google") or noweb—whatever you prefer.

Click Add Engine to save. Now, whenever you want to perform an AI-free search, simply type your keyword (e.g., aig) in the address bar, press the Tab key, type your query, and hit Enter. Firefox will use the custom search engine and display Google results with no AI artifacts. You can also set this custom engine as your default search engine, though that would require a different approach (in about:config). For most users, the keyword method is fast and effective.

Chrome search engine customization

Google Chrome offers a built-in feature to manage custom search engines. Open Chrome and click on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, then go to Settings. In the left sidebar, click Search engine. Under the "Search engines" section, you'll see a list of default engines. Next to this list, click Add.

Fill in the following fields:

• Name: Enter something like "AI-Less Chrome" or "Google Classic".
• Shorcut: Use aig again, or a mnemonic of your choice. This shortcut is what you'll type in the address bar to trigger this engine.
• URL: Exactly as before: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14.

Click Add. You can also make this your default search engine by clicking the three dots next to it and selecting "Make default," but be aware that doing so will change every search you perform from the address bar. If you prefer to keep the standard Google search as default for non-AI queries, leave it and use the shortcut method.

To use it, type aig in the address bar, press Tab (or Space in some versions), then enter your query. Chrome will automatically use the custom URL. This approach works identically in Microsoft Edge and Opera, as both are built on the Chromium engine. The steps are the same; just locate the search engine settings (usually under Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Address bar and search).

Safari search engine customization

Apple's Safari browser does not natively allow custom search engines with URL parameters, so a workaround is required. You need to install a free extension from the Mac App Store called Customize Search Engine (or a similar utility that lets you replace the default search URL). Once installed, open the extension's preferences.

Inside, you'll see an option to replace the default Google search URL. Replace the existing URL with https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14. The extension will intercept all Google searches from the address bar and use your custom URL. After saving, every search you perform in Safari will bypass AI results. Note that you may need to grant the extension permission to read and modify search queries—a standard privacy step.

This method is a bit less transparent but still effective. Be aware that extensions can have bugs or be abandoned; you can always remove it and revert to the original behavior. For now, it's the only reliable way to achieve AI-free searching in Safari without switching to another browser.

Additional considerations and alternatives

While the udm=14 parameter works well for Google, you might also consider switching to search engines that inherently do not use AI. Some popular alternatives include DuckDuckGo (which offers a "No AI" setting), Brave Search (which allows users to disable AI summaries), and Bing (though Bing also has AI features that can be toggled off in settings). However, if you prefer Google's indexing but not its AI overlays, the custom engine method is your best bet.

Another tip: if you notice that the AI results occasionally still appear (Google may change the parameter), you can combine multiple parameters. For example, ?q=%s&udm=14&tbs=li:1 might help. But for now, udm=14 alone is sufficient. Also, ensure you are logged out of your Google account or have personalized results turned off, as signed-in accounts may sometimes override URL parameters.

For those concerned about privacy, using a custom engine with the URL parameter does not encrypt your data more than usual. However, it does reduce the amount of data Google collects for training AI models, because your query isn't fed into their generative systems.

Lastly, keep in mind that search engine parameters are not permanent. Google could deprecate udm=14 at any time. If that happens, the community will likely find a new workaround. Following tech blogs and forums (like Reddit's r/privacy or r/browsers) can keep you updated. Until then, this method provides a clean, fast, and energy-saving search experience.

By following the steps outlined above, you can regain control over your search results. Whether you are a power user who values accuracy, an environmentalist concerned about energy use, or simply someone who dislikes AI-generated fluff, this technique works in nearly every major browser. The only browser that requires a bit of extra effort is Safari, but with the free extension, it's just as achievable. No more AI intrusions—just plain, hyperlinked results.

Source: ZDNET News