Reddit to test AI-generated search summaries, expanding AI partnerships

Reddit has announced plans to introduce AI-generated summaries for its search results, aiming to streamline user interaction with the platform’s expansive content.

The initiative was revealed during the company’s Q2 earnings call by CEO Steve Huffman, who highlighted the platform’s growth, with over 342.3 million weekly active users and more than one billion monthly searches.

Reddit's AI summaries will offer brief, insightful overviews of topics at the top of search pages, allowing users to access relevant information quickly.

Huffman emphasised that this move aligns with Reddit's efforts to enhance its search experience. "This is another step toward improving searches for everyone," he said.

The company reported a 57% increase in user engagement over the past year, underlining the growing demand for efficient ways to navigate content.

Reddit's adoption of AI technologies is backed by partnerships with major firms, including Google and OpenAI. The company has signed a $60 million annual agreement with Google, allowing the tech giant to use Reddit's content to train its AI models.

OpenAI also has access to Reddit's Data API to source real-time content for products like ChatGPT.

In a related development, Huffman announced the end of free data scraping on Reddit, positioning it as a challenge for companies like Microsoft, which now must pay for data access.

Huffman emphasized the importance of controlling Reddit’s data and ensuring responsible usage. "Without such agreements, we can’t manage how our data is presented or prevent misuse," he stated.

These moves signal Reddit's commitment to leveraging AI to improve user experience while securing its data assets through strategic partnerships.