Reddit is making its first major play into AI-powered commerce search. The social platform just started testing interactive product carousels that surface pricing, images, and direct purchase links right inside search results. A limited group of US users will see the new feature first, marking Reddit's latest attempt to monetize its massive product recommendation community while competing with Google and Amazon in the product discovery space.
Reddit is quietly rolling out what could become its most significant commerce feature yet. Starting today, a small cohort of US users will see their search results transformed with interactive product carousels that include real-time pricing, high-resolution product images, and direct links to retailers. It's Reddit's clearest signal that it wants a piece of the product discovery market that Google and Amazon have dominated for years.
The timing isn't accidental. Reddit has spent the past two years building out its advertising infrastructure and proving to Wall Street that it can turn community engagement into revenue. The platform's product recommendation threads have become internet gospel, with users routinely adding "reddit" to their Google searches to find authentic reviews. Now Reddit wants to capture that commercial intent before users ever leave the platform.
According to TechCrunch, the new AI search feature processes natural language queries about products and serves up curated carousels that feel native to Reddit's interface. Search for "best wireless earbuds under $100" and you'll get a visual grid of options with pricing from multiple retailers, not just a list of threads to wade through.
The AI component is doing heavy lifting here. Reddit's algorithm appears to be parsing years of community discussions, upvotes, and comment sentiment to surface products that actual users recommend, then matching those insights with current retail availability and pricing. It's a different approach than Google Shopping's price-comparison model or Amazon's sales-driven rankings. Reddit is betting that community-validated recommendations carry more weight than algorithmic suggestions.
