Reddit is testing a new AI-powered search tool that links community recommendations to products from its shopping and advertising partners, adding interactive product carousels to search results for a small group of users in the United States.
How The Test Works
Reddit said on Thursday that users included in the test will begin to see search results that feature product carousels with pricing, images, and direct links showing where to buy the items. The company said the feature appears when users search for queries such as “best noise-canceling headphones” or “electronic gift ideas for a college student.”
In those cases, a carousel appears at the bottom of the results page. The products shown are drawn from items mentioned by users in related posts and comments. If a user selects a product, they can view more details and then follow a link to the retailer to complete a purchase.
“This feature surfaces top-recommended products directly from discussions, giving redditors instant information about any product,” the company wrote in a blog post. Reddit said the test is intended to make the platform easier to navigate while keeping community perspectives central, and that it plans to refine the experience based on how people use it.
Ties To Reddit’s Commerce Efforts
The announcement reflects a broader effort by Reddit to connect its community-driven platform with commerce tools. Last year, the company introduced its first shoppable ad product, Dynamic Product Ads, which show personalized product recommendations to users based on their interests.
The new AI search test builds on that direction by placing products directly into the search experience, rather than limiting shopping features to paid advertisements.
Comparisons With Other Platforms
Other social and content platforms have already added shopping features. TikTok and Instagram have integrated commerce into their apps, and OpenAI added an “Instant Checkout” feature to ChatGPT last September that allows users to make purchases from Etsy and Shopify within conversations.
Reddit’s move places it among a group of platforms experimenting with AI-driven shopping and search features that connect content discovery with buying options.
Search Growth And Revenue Focus
The test follows comments from Reddit Chief Executive Officer Steve Huffman during the company’s earnings release last week. Huffman said the platform’s AI search engine could become a major opportunity for the business, both as a product and as a source of revenue.
He also shared recent usage figures. Weekly active users for search grew 30% over the past year, rising from 60 million to 80 million. Weekly active users for the AI-powered Reddit Answers feature increased from 1 million in the first quarter of 2025 to 15 million by the fourth quarter.
Featured image credits: Heute.at
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