Reddit stopped being a mere community forum long ago. Its user-driven content is so valuable that many have formed a habit of adding “Reddit” at the end of their search queries. Google itself is paying $60 million a year to license the platform’s content and use it for AI training.
Reddit is now looking at its next act: becoming a search engine. “We’re concentrating our resources on the areas that will drive results for our most pressing needs: improving the core product, making Reddit a go-to search engine, and expanding internationally,” CEO Steve Huffman writes in his latest letter to shareholders.
The platform is currently testing Reddit Answers, a feature that works like an AI chatbot but curates summaries exclusively from Reddit threads. For example, when we asked what the worst thing about iOS 26 is, it produced summaries of the main issues and links to threads discussing them.
(Credit: PCMag/Reddit)
Reddit’s core search product now has 70 million weekly users and Reddit Answers has grown to 6 million, up from 1 million last quarter, Huffman says. “Next, we’re expanding Reddit Answers globally, integrating it more deeply into the core search experience, and making search a central feature across Reddit.”
Huffman also noted that around 60 million users land on Reddit every day. “Reddit is one of the few platforms positioned to become a true search destination,” he says. “We offer something special: a breadth of conversations and knowledge you can’t find anywhere else. Every week, hundreds of millions of people come to Reddit looking for advice, and we’re turning more of that intent into active users of Reddit’s native search.”
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Reddit plans to unify traditional search with AI-powered Answers. “We’re pairing these product updates with marketing initiatives to increase awareness and adoption of Reddit Answers worldwide,” he said. For now, Answers is tucked away in the side panel.
Google is leaning heavily on AI-generated results with its AI Overviews and AI Mode. Huffman, however, notes that Reddit users appreciate the human touch. A recent survey of users from the US, UK, Australian, and Canada found that around 80% “believe some questions can only be answered by humans, as opposed to AI-generated summaries,” he says.
(Credit: PCMag/Reddit)
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About Jibin Joseph
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