Desperation to keep the fad alive a little longer? Maybe Google is secretly a huge fan of Kagi and wants to force Universities in that direction?
I do sort of wonder how much longer Googles search API will even be a thing. They clearly have no interest in running a search engine anymore and are becoming actively hostile to the open web.
There was a period of time where even posting in r/lockdownskepticism would get you banned from (I'm making this up, I don't have the list. the point is it's like all the mainstream subs) r/funny r/pics etc etc
Free, terrible ad-riddled and essentially broken
Paid, you are the customer not the product.