That’s crazy. Google/DDG bloat from SEO websites had already driven me out a while ago, so I hadn’t noticed. I’ve been using Kagi for a few months now, and I find I can trust my search results again. Being able to permanently downgrade or even block a given website is an awesome feature, I would recommend it just for that.
I don’t know what shady shit you’re referring to. They do AI, but I don’t use any of that. IMO their core strength is the search engine and how it works for you rather than against.