Reddit is Rolling Out AI-Powered Search Feature to Help Users Find Answers Faster
Reddit is introducing a new artificial intelligence feature, called Reddit Answers, which aims to help users quickly find answers to their questions based on user posts. The feature is currently being tested with a small portion of Reddit’s US user base and will be rolled out more broadly in the future.
Reddit Answers can be accessed via a new button on the company’s homepage, which takes users to a page where they can ask the AI questions. The AI-generated answers are sourced from posts found on the platform, rather than from around the web. For example, if a user asks how to make modifications to a particular BMW model, the AI tool will provide a list of tips, summaries, and quotes from Reddit posts related to the question.
The feature is part of Reddit’s plans to improve the way people search on the platform, and is designed to help users access more Reddit content. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has stated that search represents a “focused investment” for the company, as it helps new users find their home on the platform and provides a monetization opportunity.
Reddit Answers is built atop the company’s existing search architecture and uses AI models from OpenAI and Google Cloud. The social media company has data-licensing deals with both OpenAI and Google, which pay Reddit for access to its data to improve their respective AI models.
The feature is currently only available in English for iOS and desktop users, but will be rolled out to Android users and other languages in the future. Reddit is also working to get more users to search for Reddit content on the platform, rather than relying on Google for traffic. If new users find the feature compelling, they could be enticed to create accounts.