In the ever-evolving digital landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become deeply integrated into many of the services we use daily, and Google is certainly at the forefront of this integration. From personalized search results to smart suggestions in various apps, generative AI is subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) shaping our online experience. While these features are designed to be helpful, you might find yourself wanting to dial down or even remove some of this generative AI influence for a variety of reasons – perhaps for privacy concerns, to avoid potentially inaccurate "AI Overviews," or simply to regain a more traditional search experience.
But is it truly possible to completely remove generative AI from Google? The short answer is: not entirely, as it's deeply embedded in many core services. However, you can significantly manage, disable, or work around many specific AI-powered features and control the data used for personalization. This lengthy guide will walk you through the steps to reclaim some control over your Google experience.
A Journey to Reclaim Your Google Experience: Understanding and Managing Generative AI
Let's embark on this journey together. Don't worry, we'll take it one step at a time!
Step 1: Understanding What Generative AI in Google Means for YOU
Before we start toggling switches, let's understand what we're dealing with. When we talk about "generative AI" in Google, we're primarily referring to features like:
AI Overviews (formerly SGE - Search Generative Experience): These are AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of your search results, aiming to provide quick answers to your queries. They can sometimes include direct links or even synthesize information from multiple sources.
Smart Compose/Smart Reply in Gmail and Google Docs: These features offer predictive text and suggested responses to help you write emails and documents faster.
Google Assistant: Your voice-activated helper, which uses AI to understand your commands, answer questions, and control smart devices.
Personalized Search Results & Recommendations: Google uses AI to tailor your search results, YouTube recommendations, and other content suggestions based on your past activity, location, and other data.
Engage with me here: Have you noticed any of these AI features impacting your daily Google use? Which one has been the most prominent for you, and why do you want to manage it? Think about it as we move forward!
Step 2: Targeting AI Overviews in Google Search
The most visible manifestation of generative AI for many users is the "AI Overview" at the top of search results. While Google has been rolling this out more broadly, there are several ways to reduce its prominence or avoid it.
Sub-step 2.1: Disabling "AI Overviews and More" in Search Labs (if applicable)
If you opted into the "AI Overviews and more" experiment in Google's Search Labs, you can specifically turn this off.
Open the Google app or your browser on your Android device (or navigate to Google Search on your desktop).
Ensure you're signed in to your Google Account with Incognito mode turned off.
Look for the Labs icon (a beaker icon), usually located at the top left or near the search bar. Tap or click it.
On the "AI Overviews and more" experiment card, toggle it to the off position.
Important Note: Even if you turn this off in Search Labs, Google has stated that AI Overviews are becoming a more integrated part of Search, similar to knowledge panels, and cannot be entirely turned off for all searches. This step primarily addresses the experimental version you might have opted into.
Sub-step 2.2: Clever Search Tricks to Bypass AI Overviews
This is where we get a bit creative! You can "trick" Google's algorithm into not displaying AI Overviews.
Using the "NOT" operator (
-): Adding a negative keyword to your search query can sometimes prevent the AI Overview from appearing. For example, if you search for "best restaurants in Mumbai," and an AI Overview appears, try searching for "best restaurants in Mumbai -AI" or "best restaurants in Mumbai -overview". This works by breaking Google's algorithm for surfacing the AI overlay.Adding a "cuss word" (unofficial, use with caution!): Some users have reported that adding a "cuss word" to their search query can sometimes prevent AI Overviews. For example, "What is the price of milk?" might show an AI Overview, but "What the heck is the price of milk?" might not. This is an unofficial workaround and may have unintended consequences on your search results.
Switching to the "Web" Filter: When you perform a search, look for filters underneath the search bar (like "Images," "Videos," "News").
Click on the "Web" filter. This will essentially return you to a more traditional results page, focusing solely on web links and removing AI snippets and other rich results. If you don't see it, click the "More" button and select it from the menu.
Sub-step 2.3: Modifying Your Default Search Engine for an "AI-Free" Experience
This is a more permanent workaround, especially useful for desktop users. It involves setting a custom search engine that automatically adds a parameter to your queries to filter out AI Overviews.
For Chrome:
Open Chrome and go to
chrome://settings/searchEnginesin your address bar.Under "Search Engine" and then "Manage Search Engines and Site Search," click the "Add" button next to "Site search."
Fill in the form with the following:
Search engine: Google Web (AI-Free)
Shortcut: @web (or something similar you'll remember)
URL with %s in place of query:
{google:baseURL}search?q=%s&udm=14
Click "Add."
Now, locate "Google Web (AI-Free)" in your list of search engines, click the three-dot icon next to it, and choose "Make default."
Now, when you search from your Chrome address bar, it will only give you web links in the results, with no AI Overviews.
For Firefox:
Open Firefox and click the three-stacked dots in the upper-right corner.
Select "Settings."
In the new screen, select "Search."
Tap "Add Search Engine."
Fill in the name with AI-free Web and the search string with
google.com/search?udm=14&q=%s.Tap "Save" and then select AI-free Web as your default search engine.
Sub-step 2.4: Using a Proxy Site (Use with Caution!)
Some proxy sites are designed to strip out AI Overviews from Google search results. For example, udm14.com acts as a Google search bar with AI Overviews removed.
Word of Warning: Be cautious when using proxy sites, as they can potentially read your search queries. Only use them if you understand the potential privacy implications and are comfortable with them.
Step 3: Managing AI-Powered Features Within Specific Google Apps
Generative AI extends beyond search. Here's how to manage it in other popular Google services.
Sub-step 3.1: Taming Smart Compose and Smart Reply in Gmail and Google Docs
These features can be incredibly helpful for speeding up writing, but you might prefer to craft your own responses without AI suggestions.
For Gmail:
Open Gmail on your computer.
Click the Settings gear icon (top right) and select "See all settings."
Under the "General" tab, scroll down to "Smart Compose" and "Smart Reply."
Select "Writing suggestions off" for Smart Compose and "Smart reply off" for Smart Reply.
Scroll to the bottom and click "Save Changes."
For Google Docs:
Open a Google Doc.
Go to "Tools" in the top menu.
Scroll to the bottom and select "Opt out of Labs" if you see this option (this specifically targets experimental AI features).
While there isn't a direct "off" switch for general Smart Compose in Docs, controlling your Google Account activity (as described in Step 4) will limit the data used for these suggestions.
Sub-step 3.2: Controlling Google Assistant
Google Assistant relies heavily on AI to function. While you can't completely "remove" its AI, you can disable its activation and limit its data usage.
Disabling Google Assistant:
On your Android phone, open the Google app.
Tap your profile picture (top right) and select "Settings."
Find and select "Google Assistant."
Go to "All Settings" and then "General Settings."
Toggle off "Google Assistant."
Disabling "Hey Google" hotword detection:
In the Google app, go to "Settings" > "Voice."
Tap "Voice Match" and toggle off "Hey Google."
Step 4: Limiting AI Personalization Through Your Google Account Activity Controls
This is a crucial step for reducing the overall influence of AI across Google services, as it controls the data Google uses to personalize your experience.
Sub-step 4.1: Pausing Web & App Activity
Pausing this activity control limits Google's ability to save your searches, Browse history, and activity from apps and sites that use Google services. This data is often used to train AI models and personalize your results.
Go to your Google Account (myaccount.google.com).
On the left-hand navigation pane, click "Data & privacy."
Scroll down to "History settings" and click on "Web & App Activity."
Toggle the switch to the "Off" position.
You will be prompted to confirm. Read the information carefully and confirm.
This will prevent future activity from being saved and used for personalization. It will also disable your ability to find past searches in Autocomplete.
Sub-step 4.2: Managing Other Activity Controls
While Web & App Activity is the most impactful, consider reviewing these as well:
Location History: Found under "Data & privacy." Pausing this will prevent Google from saving a private map of where you go with your devices. This data can also influence localized AI results.
YouTube History: Also under "Data & privacy." Pausing your YouTube watch and search history will limit AI's influence on video recommendations.
Ad Personalization: Under "Data & privacy," scroll to "Ad settings." You can turn off "Ad Personalization" to prevent Google from tailoring ads based on your activity, though this won't stop ads from appearing.
Sub-step 4.3: Deleting Past Activity
Even with activity controls paused, past data might still be used. You can delete your historical activity.
On the "Web & App Activity" page (after navigating there as in Sub-step 4.1), you'll see an option to "Manage activity."
Clicking this will take you to your My Activity page. Here you can filter by date or product and delete specific activities or set up auto-delete options for activity older than a certain period (e.g., 3, 18, or 36 months).
Step 5: Leveraging Browser Extensions to Block AI Content
For a more aggressive approach to blocking AI-generated content on search result pages, browser extensions can be quite effective.
Sub-step 5.1: Using Ad Blockers with Custom Filters (e.g., uBlock Origin)
Some ad blockers, like uBlock Origin, allow you to create custom filters to block specific elements on a webpage. This can be used to hide the AI Overview panel.
Install uBlock Origin (or a similar ad blocker) on your browser.
Go to uBlock Origin's settings/dashboard.
Navigate to "My filters" or a similar section.
Add the following filter:
www.google.com###Odp5DeThis filter specifically targets the HTML element that often contains the AI Overview.
Click "Apply changes" or save your filters.
Disclaimer: Google frequently updates its website structure, so this specific filter might need to be updated in the future if Google changes the element's ID.
Step 6: Considering Alternative Search Engines and Browsers
If you find Google's AI integration too pervasive, even after applying these measures, exploring alternative search engines and browsers might be your best bet for a truly AI-reduced experience.
Privacy-focused Search Engines: Consider search engines like DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, or Startpage. These typically prioritize user privacy and offer less personalized, and therefore less AI-driven, search results.
Browsers with Enhanced Privacy Features: Browsers like Firefox or Brave often come with built-in privacy protections that can help limit tracking and data collection, indirectly reducing the data available for AI personalization.
Conclusion: A Continuous Effort
Removing generative AI from Google is not a one-time fix but rather an ongoing management process. Google is constantly evolving its services, and AI is at the core of its strategy. By understanding where AI is integrated and actively managing your settings and search habits, you can significantly reduce its influence on your digital experience. Remember, your data, your control.
10 Related FAQ Questions
Here are 10 "How to" FAQ questions with quick answers related to managing generative AI in Google:
How to turn off AI Overviews in Google Search?
Go to Search Labs (beaker icon) in the Google app and toggle off "AI Overviews and more" if you opted in. Alternatively, use the "Web" filter in search results, or modify your default search engine to
{google:baseURL}search?q=%s&udm=14.
How to stop Google from using my data for AI personalization?
Pause "Web & App Activity" in your Google Account's "Data & privacy" settings. This limits the data Google saves and uses for personalization.
How to disable Smart Compose in Gmail?
In Gmail settings, go to the "General" tab and select "Writing suggestions off" for Smart Compose.
How to turn off Smart Reply in Gmail?
In Gmail settings, go to the "General" tab and select "Smart reply off" for Smart Reply.
How to disable Google Assistant?
Open the Google app, go to "Settings," then "Google Assistant," then "All Settings" > "General Settings," and toggle off "Google Assistant."
How to prevent "Hey Google" from activating my Assistant?
In the Google app, go to "Settings" > "Voice" > "Voice Match" and toggle off "Hey Google."
How to delete my past Google activity used for AI?
Go to your Google Account's "Data & privacy" settings, click on "Web & App Activity," then "Manage activity" to delete specific or all past activity.
How to get traditional search results without AI snippets?
After a search, click the "Web" filter located below the search bar to show only web links.
How to block AI Overviews using a browser extension?
Install uBlock Origin and add a custom filter like
www.google.com###Odp5Deto its "My filters" section. (Note: This filter might require updates if Google changes its site structure).
How to avoid AI-driven content recommendations on YouTube?
Pause your "YouTube History" in your Google Account's "Data & privacy" settings, and consider clearing your existing watch and search history on YouTube.
