With well over a billion posts on topics as far-ranging as thermodynamics to travel hacks, Reddit has flashed the potential to become a powerful search engine.
What happened: For certain U.S. users, Reddit has begun testing Reddit Answers — an AI-powered search tool that scours the website’s vast trove of posts to answer user queries. Like similar AI products, the tool provides easy-to-read summaries with links to sources.
Why it matters: For many internet users disappointed in the perceived decline of Google Search, Reddit has become a top destination to find answers. This trend is reflected in the fact that “reddit” was the sixth-most-Googled term in the U.S. this year, per the company.
- Reddit has realized the value its posts possess. Earlier this year, it blocked some search engines and chatbots from using its content without signing access deals, and inked agreements with Google and OpenAI worth a combined US$203 million.
Bottom line: If Reddit Answers hits, it could cut out the middleman that is Google Search. But today, Reddit still relies on the search giant. Per its IPO filing, 75% of new users in the second half of 2023 weren’t logged in, meaning they likely got to the site via search engine.—QH