Reddit is testing a new AI search feature for shopping

Reddit announced on Thursday that it’s testing a new AI-powered search tool that pulls in community recommendations and connects them with products offered through some of the company’s shopping and advertising partners.

A limited group of users in the United States will begin seeing search results that include interactive product carousels, complete with pricing, images, and direct links showing where to buy.

The test highlights Reddit’s broader effort to blend its community-driven discussions with e-commerce features. The move follows Reddit’s launch of its first shoppable ad product last year, Dynamic Product Ads (DPA), which deliver personalised product suggestions to users based on their interests.

With the new test, users included in the rollout who search for terms such as “best noise-cancelling headphones” or “electronic gift ideas for a college student” will see a related product carousel displayed at the bottom of the results page.

The carousel will showcase products that users have specifically mentioned in conversations across relevant posts and comment threads. If a user taps on a product, they can view additional details and then be sent directly to the retailer to complete the purchase.

“This feature surfaces top-recommended products directly from discussions, giving redditors instant information about any product,” the company wrote in a blog post. “This test is designed to make Reddit easier to navigate while keeping community perspectives at thecentrer of the experience. We’ll continue learning from how people use this new feature and refine the experience over time.”

Shopping integrations have already become common across platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and Reddit is now aiming to follow suit. Reddit also isn’t alone in experimenting with AI-driven shopping, as OpenAI’s ChatGPT rolled out an “Instant Checkout” feature last September that lets users complete Etsy and Shopify purchases directly within conversations.

Thursday’s announcement follows comments from Reddit CEO Steve Huffman during the company’s earnings release last week, where he said the platform’s AI search engine could become the next major opportunity for Reddit’s business — both as a product and as a potential revenue driver.

Huffman also said weekly active users for search grew by 30% over the past year, rising from 60 million to 80 million. He added that the weekly active user count for the AI-powered Reddit Answers feature increased from 1 million in the first quarter of 2025 to 15 million by the fourth quarter.