Reddit is rolling out a new AI-powered search tool that blends community recommendations with products from its shopping and advertising partners. The company announced Thursday that a small group of U.S. users will soon see search results enhanced with interactive product carousels featuring prices, images, and direct links to buy.
The update marks Reddit’s push to fuse its community-driven platform with e-commerce functionality. Last year, the platform launched its first shoppable ad product, Dynamic Product Ads (DPA), which delivers personalized product suggestions based on user interests. This new search feature builds on that foundation, bringing community insight straight into shopping.
During the test, users who search terms like “best noise-canceling headphones” or “electronic gift ideas for a college student” will find a carousel at the bottom of the results highlighting products mentioned in posts and comments. Clicking a product opens detailed information, and users can go directly to the retailer to make a purchase.
“This feature surfaces top-recommended products directly from discussions, giving redditors instant information about any product,” Reddit explained in a blog post. “This test is designed to make Reddit easier to navigate while keeping community perspectives at the center of the experience. We’ll continue learning from how people use this new feature and refine the experience over time.”
Reddit joins other platforms like TikTok and Instagram that have already integrated shopping tools. It also enters the growing space of AI-driven commerce, following moves like ChatGPT’s “Instant Checkout” for Etsy and Shopify purchases.
CEO Steve Huffman hinted at the potential during last week’s earnings call, describing Reddit’s AI search engine as a major business opportunity, not only as a product but also as a revenue driver. Huffman also highlighted strong growth, noting that weekly active search users jumped 30% from 60 million to 80 million, while the AI-powered Reddit Answers feature surged from 1 million users in Q1 2025 to 15 million by Q4.
