Reddit announced Thursday that it is testing a new AI search tool that takes community recommendations and matches them to products from some of the company’s shopping and advertising partners.
A small number of users in the United States will now see search results that include an interactive product carousel with prices, images, and direct links to where to buy.
The announcement reflects Reddit’s broader efforts to combine a community-driven platform with e-commerce capabilities. The move comes as Reddit last year launched its first shoppable ad product called Dynamic Product Ads (DPA), which shows users personalized product recommendations based on their interests.
Currently, when users participating in the test search for things like “best noise-canceling headphones” or “e-gift ideas for college students,” they’ll see a carousel of related products at the bottom of the results.
This carousel features products mentioned directly by users from related posts and comment conversations. When a user taps on a product, they can see more details and be directed to a retailer to purchase the product.
“This feature shows the most recommended products directly from discussions, providing Redditors with instant information about any product,” the company said in a blog post. “This test is designed to make Reddit easier to navigate while keeping the community’s perspective at the center of the experience. We will continue to learn from how people use this new feature and refine the experience over time.”
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have long integrated shopping features, and Reddit is now following suit. Of course, Reddit isn’t the only technology platform to start exploring AI-driven shopping recently. Last September, OpenAI’s ChatGPT rolled out an “instant checkout” feature that allows users to make purchases on Etsy and Shopify within a conversation.
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Thursday’s announcement comes after Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said during the company’s earnings call last week that the platform’s AI search engine could be the next big opportunity for the company’s business, not just as a product but as a revenue driver.
Huffman also noted that weekly active users for Search have increased 30% over the past year, from 60 million to 80 million, while weekly active users for the AI-powered Reddit Answers feature have increased from 1 million in Q1 2025 to 15 million by Q4.
