Reddit's AI Chatbot Targets Google Search Users
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman identifies two user types: "scrollers" engaging with communities and "seekers" looking for specific information.
Reddit Answers, the platform's AI chatbot, caters to these "seekers." It provides answers and summaries from existing Reddit posts, directly addressing user queries.
Answers Sees Rapid User Growth
Since its December beta launch, Answers has gained 1 million weekly active users. The feature recently expanded beyond the U.S. to Australia, the U.K., Canada, and India.
Huffman stated,
"Up until very recently, we haven't built a product for them [seekers]. Those users are not coming to Reddit for a community in that moment. They're coming for an answer."
Deeper Integration Planned for 2025
Reddit plans to integrate Answers more deeply into the platform. This includes integrating it into the main search bar, allowing for more complex queries beyond simple keywords.
The company also aims to use Answers for user onboarding, helping new users discover relevant content. Additionally, Reddit is exploring using Answers to provide summarized information directly within external search results.
Mitigating Google Search Algorithm Changes
This strategy could shield Reddit from the impact of Google Search algorithm updates, which previously affected user growth. Huffman acknowledges the potential for "bumps" due to ongoing changes in the search ecosystem.
He stated,
"We're an open platform, and we want people to find Reddit content in [Google] Search. Being open drives awareness and visibility. It can also create variability."
Strong Q1 Earnings and User Growth
Reddit reported strong Q1 2025 earnings, with revenue up 61% year-over-year to $392.4 million. Daily active unique users reached 108.1 million, a 31% year-over-year increase.
For Q2, Reddit projects revenue between $410 million and $430 million.
