Reddit CEO teases AI search features and paid subreddits

Reddit simply wrapped up its second earnings name as a public firm and CEO Steve Huffman hinted at some important adjustments that could possibly be coming to the platform. In the course of the name, the Reddit co-founder stated the corporate would start testing AI-powered search outcomes later this 12 months.

“Later this 12 months, we’ll start testing new search consequence pages powered by AI to summarize and suggest content material, serving to customers dive deeper into merchandise, exhibits, video games and uncover new communities on Reddit,” Huffman stated. He didn’t say when these checks would start, however stated it will use each first-party and third-party fashions.

Huffman famous that search on Reddit has “gone unchanged for a very long time” however that it’s a major alternative to herald new customers. He additionally stated that search may in the future be a major supply of promoting income for the corporate.

Huffman hinted at different non-advertising sources of income as nicely. He recommended that the corporate would possibly experiment with paywalled subreddits because it seems to monetize new options. “I feel the prevailing, altruistic, free model of Reddit will live on and develop and thrive simply the way in which it has,” Huffman stated. “However now we’ll unlock the door for brand new use instances, new forms of subreddits that may be constructed that will have unique content material or personal areas, issues of that nature.”

A Reddit spokesperson declined to elaborate on Huffman’s remarks. Nevertheless it’s no secret the corporate has been eyeing new methods to develop its enterprise since going public earlier this 12 months. It’s struck multi million-dollar licensing offers and , and search engines like google and yahoo that aren’t paying the corporate.

“Some gamers within the ecosystem haven’t been clear with their use of Reddit’s content material, and in these situations, we block entry to guard Reddit content material and consumer privateness,” Huffman stated. “We wish to know the place Reddit knowledge goes and what it is getting used for, and so these are the phrases of engagement.”