Incentivizing User-Centric Search

Kagi operates on a novel business model that eliminates intermediaries between users and search results by requiring users to pay directly for the service rather than relying on advertising. This approach allows Kagi to prioritize user privacy and satisfaction, as it aligns incentives correctly; the company focuses on providing better search results instead of crafting results that please advertisers. A key motivation for this shift in model came from the founder's realization that current search engines were degrading in quality and overly influenced by ads, ultimately leading users to waste time searching for information. This evolution in how search engines operate creates a platform that values user experience over profit from ads, making quality and privacy paramount in its design philosophy.