Reddit Tests AI-Powered Shopping Search With Product Carousels

SAN FRANCISCO: Reddit announces AI-powered shopping search on Thursday. The feature matches community recommendations with products from shopping and advertising partners. A small group of U.S. users starts seeing interactive product carousels with pricing and buy links.

The search tool converts community discussions into commerce opportunities. Users searching for “best noise-canceling headphones” or “electronic gift ideas” see product carousels. The feature surfaces products directly mentioned in posts and comments. Users tap products to view details and purchase from retailers.

Reddit launched Dynamic Product Ads last year for personalized product recommendations. The shopping search builds on this e-commerce infrastructure. The test follows platforms like TikTok and Instagram integrating shopping features.

Also read: OpenAI Scales Back ChatGPT Shopping Post Checkout Feature Falls Flat

“This feature surfaces top-recommended products directly from discussions, giving redditors instant information about any product. This test is designed to make Reddit easier to navigate while keeping community perspectives at the center,” the company said in a blog post.

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman identifies AI search as the next big business opportunity. He notes weekly active users for search grew 30 percent over the past year. The number increased from 60 million to 80 million users.

Weekly active users for AI-powered Reddit Answers rose from 1 million in Q1 2025 to 15 million by Q4. The growth demonstrates user adoption of AI features on the platform.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched Instant Checkout in September for Etsy and Shopify purchases. The feature enables transactions within conversations. Reddit’s move positions the platform in the AI-driven commerce space.

The company continues learning from user behavior with the feature. Reddit plans to refine the experience over time based on usage patterns.