They are much more level headed about it, and they openly say that “AI is a tool and addition to search. Kagi is fine without it”. For their rationale, see “LLM Features” page in their help, which is linked at the bottom of Kagi Snaps page.

I don’t use any LLM features of Kagi, and it’s not hindered in any way.

That would be a very wrong characterization of Kagi does with AI.

We have a an AI integration philosophy that we have been following since day one.

https://help.kagi.com/kagi/why-kagi/ai-philosophy.html

The primary guideline of that philosophy is that any AI feature is opt-in and on-demand rather than being pushed down the user. So to characterize our efforts as you did, can at best be described as doing disservice to reality. Why the need for that?

I am leaving Google because the AI crap.