Reddit is piloting a new feature called Reddit Answers, designed to make searching the platform faster and more intuitive. The AI-powered tool pulls information directly from Reddit posts and conversations to deliver concise answers to user queries.
Currently in early testing, the feature is accessible to a limited number of users in the United States on iOS and desktop, with plans to expand to Android and other languages in the future.
Reddit Answers works through a button on the homepage that leads users to an interface similar to popular AI chatbots. Users can ask questions and get summarized responses with links to the original threads for further exploration. Unlike many AI tools that gather data from across the web, Reddit Answers focuses solely on content from Reddit itself. This approach ensures that responses reflect the unique, community-driven discussions the platform is known for.
The feature has been in development for six months and is part of Reddit’s broader push to improve its search capabilities. Vice President of Product Serkan Piantino described the tool as a way to guide users to more Reddit content rather than replacing it.
By enhancing search, Reddit hopes to attract more logged-out users and incentivize them to create accounts. Logged-out visitors have surged in recent years, partly due to Google prioritizing forum content like Reddit in its search results. However, these users are harder to monetize compared to logged-in members, prompting Reddit to launch features aimed at boosting account sign-ups.
The company sees Reddit Answers as a step toward reducing its reliance on Google-driven traffic. Instead of searching “Reddit” through Google to find relevant discussions, users could eventually turn to Reddit Answers directly for a faster, more contextual experience.
However, Reddit’s long-standing struggles with its native search functionality may pose challenges for this feature. Reddit’s search has often failed to surface relevant results, forcing users to rely on Google to find content on Reddit more effectively. Without addressing these underlying issues, the AI-powered feature could struggle to gain user confidence.
Built on a foundation of AI models from OpenAI and Google Cloud, Reddit Answers represents the platform’s vision of a smarter, more engaging search experience. As it continues to refine the feature, Reddit is positioning itself as a key player in the AI-powered search landscape.
