Reddit has begun rolling out a new artificial intelligence feature designed to help users search for answers in Reddit conversations and posts, the company announced Tuesday. The feature, called Reddit Answers, is currently being tested with a small group of users in the US as an initial test before being made more widely available.
Reddit Answers works like other AI search tools developed by tech companies. It answers user questions with a summary of conversations from the social networking platform and provides links to relevant communities and posts. In essence, the feature acts as an AI chatbot capable of making recommendations and suggesting follow-up questions.
Think of how Google Gemini and ChatGPT answer users’ questions, but this tool was created by Reddit. The main difference between Reddit Answers and Google Gemini or other AI chatbots is that the Reddit-built chatbot gets its information entirely from posts found on Reddit, not from the web.
For example, if a user asks for Reddit answers on how to repair a Mac, the AI tool will respond with a bullet-point list of tips, summaries, and quotes from relevant Reddit posts. Users can then tap on the links in the replies to go directly to the corresponding Reddit posts.
With Reddit Answers, the social media platform continues to reduce its reliance on Google. Since the feature sources information directly from Reddit, users can bypass Google or OpenAI’s ChatGPT to find relevant communities and discussions. Over the past few months, Reddit has blocked major search engines and AI chatbots from accessing recent posts and comments unless the search engine pays a fee. Currently, Google is the only search engine that still displays Reddit results.
Reddit Answers represents the company’s new initiative to enhance the way users find information on the platform. The company describes Reddit Answers as part of its “long-term vision to improve the search experience” on its social network. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman recently emphasized that search will be a “focused investment” for the company in 2025.
Built on Reddit’s existing search structure, Reddit Answers uses AI models from OpenAI and Google Cloud. The company has data-licensing agreements with both OpenAI and Google, allowing them to pay Reddit for using its data to train their AI models.
Questions, find answers. 👋
Starting today, we’re rolling out limited trials in the US of Reddit Answers – an AI-powered way to get information, recommendations, and hot takers only on Reddit. https://t.co/jPBdqEd2JL
– Reddit, Inc. (@reddit) December 9, 2024
Once considered the darkest corner of the internet, Reddit has become one of the last major platforms for unfiltered discussions and a trusted source of news and entertainment. With more users than ever on Reddit, the company is focused on monetizing its user base by introducing more personalized features and encouraging users to create accounts on the platform.
Currently, Reddit Answers is only available in English for iOS and desktop users. However, the company plans to extend the feature to Android users and support more languages in the future.