The new AI search tool from Reddit allows you to find answers on the platform without the need for Google.
It is a way to avoid Google and search directly on Reddit.
Reddit is introducing a new AI-driven search tool called Reddit Answers, designed to make it easier to locate information on its platform. Unlike other AI-based search products, this tool generates well-structured answers and provides links to the data sources, but its distinguishing feature is that it pulls information directly from Reddit, allowing users to access content without having to resort to Google.
Recently, Reddit has been limiting the places from where content can be searched within its platform, leaving Google as the only major search engine that shows recent results from Reddit. However, the company seems to prefer that users perform their searches directly on its site, and Reddit Answers could be an effective solution to achieve that.
The tool will initially launch for “a limited number of users” in the United States and in English, accessible from the web (not on Old Reddit) and iOS devices. According to Serkan Piantino, Reddit's vice president of product, they are working on an Android version. The company also plans to expand the availability of this tool to other languages and regions in the future.
In a trial of Reddit Answers, although it wasn't possible to explore all its functionalities, it featured a user-friendly design with a large box for queries, accompanied by suggested searches such as “favorite Nintendo character of all time” and “best mystery novels of 2025.” By selecting one of these options, the tool quickly compiled a list of suggestions with links indicating the source of the information. Clicking on any of the links opened a side panel displaying the specific post from which the content originated.
In comparison, performing a similar search on Google resulted in a standard list of links without summaries or highlights, which at first glance might not be as informative as what Reddit Answers offers. Nonetheless, some users may be skeptical about AI-generated summaries, as they can contain significant errors, leading them to still find it useful to use Google to explore relevant Reddit posts.
The Reddit Answers tool also has the capability to react to recent events on the platform within minutes, potentially allowing for up-to-date responses. However, during one of the tests, when asking who won the NFL game the previous day, instead of providing information about the Packers vs. Lions game, it offered details about a game from several months ago.
This could be due to the fact that the tool is still not fully developed. Overall, Reddit Answers has proven to be more effective as a starting point for exploring general topics within Reddit, rather than as a real-time search tool. It remains unclear whether this new feature will be enough to change the search habits of users who are accustomed to using Google to access Reddit information.
