Finally, a simple way to hide AI-generated images and get back to the real stuff.
You ever search for something like “baby peacock” and end up staring at weird, obviously fake images? I have. And I’m not the only one getting tired of AI-generated everything flooding search results. Thankfully, DuckDuckGo just did something about it—and honestly, it’s kind of refreshing.
What’s New?
DuckDuckGo, the privacy-first search engine, just added a new setting that lets you filter out AI-generated images when you’re searching. It’s a direct response to people (like you and me) who just want to see real things, not digitally imagined fluff.
Here’s how it works:
- Do any image search on DuckDuckGo.
- Head over to the Images tab.
- Look for a dropdown called “AI Images.”
- Choose “Hide” to filter them out.
Simple. Quiet. Effective.
You can also head into your search settings and flip the “Hide AI-Generated Images” switch, and it’ll stay off for good.
Why This Matters
We’re not talking about blocking all AI here—just the overload of low-effort, auto-generated images that clutter up useful search results. DuckDuckGo’s doing this with help from open-source blocklists (like the “nuclear” list from uBlockOrigin and Huge AI Blocklist). So while it may not catch every single fake image, it seriously cuts down on the noise.
And let’s be real: it’s about time. The internet feels a little more artificial every day, and it’s easy to forget how much we miss seeing the real world.
I think back to last year’s mini-controversy, where Google image results for “baby peacock” were almost entirely AI-generated. People just wanted to show their kids a real bird, and instead got… weird hybrids. It’s stuff like that that makes this new feature from DuckDuckGo feel like a tiny win for common sense.
Small Feature, Big Relief
There’s something oddly comforting about a tool that just listens to what users actually want. No drama. No PR circus. Just a quiet little filter to give us a choice again.
DuckDuckGo says more filters are on the way, which is great—but even this first step feels like a breath of fresh air.
Final Thought
AI has its place, sure. But sometimes, you just want a photo of a real baby peacock—feathers, beak, awkward little feet and all. If you’re tired of the AI sludge clogging up your search results, give DuckDuckGo’s new filter a shot.
Real is still out there. You just have to ask for it.
