Reddit Steps Into the AI Search Arena, Taking Aim at Google’s Turf
Reddit is no longer just a place for endless comment threads and niche community debates — it’s evolving into something much bigger: a full-fledged AI-powered search engine.
In a bold statement to investors during Reddit’s Q2 2025 earnings report, CEO Steve Huffman outlined a strategic shift that could reshape how millions of people find information online. At the heart of this move is Reddit Answers, an AI tool that turns the platform’s vast archive of user-generated content into a direct search resource.
Turning Posts Into Search Power
Originally launched quietly in late 2024, Reddit Answers began as a beta experiment. But by mid-2025, it was already serving 6 million users per week — a sixfold increase from early in the year. Reddit says its native search tool now reaches over 70 million weekly users, and Huffman’s goal is to make Reddit not just searchable, but a search destination in itself.
The timing isn’t accidental. Google’s rollout of AI-powered summaries in its search results has increasingly siphoned traffic from external sites — Reddit included. Instead of watching from the sidelines, Reddit is moving to reduce its dependence on Google altogether.
A Strategic Pivot Fueled by AI
Reddit’s value lies in its unique, human-sourced content — the kind that fuels lively discussions, detailed advice threads, and real-world problem solving. It’s the same content that Reddit has licensed to companies like Google and OpenAI for AI training. Now, the company wants to reclaim that data’s value for its own platform.
By integrating Reddit Answers directly into its main search, the platform hopes to deliver highly relevant results powered by its community knowledge base. Huffman described this as part of a broader mission to make Reddit’s search “natively intelligent,” using AI to surface the best insights from millions of discussions.
Money Talks — and Reddit’s Got Momentum
Reddit’s financials suggest it’s in a strong position to back this transformation. The company posted $89 million in net income last quarter, alongside an impressive 78% year-over-year revenue growth, bringing total quarterly revenue to $500 million.
Expansion is next on the roadmap. While Reddit hasn’t officially confirmed whether the current rollout is limited to U.S. users, indicators suggest a phased global launch is underway. Support for additional languages is also on the horizon.
The Bigger Picture
This move pits Reddit directly against traditional search engines, especially as users look for answers that feel authentic, experience-based, and human — not scraped from FAQ pages or generated by generic bots. Whether Reddit can truly rival Google remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: it’s not just a comment section anymore — it’s coming for your search bar.
