Reddit CEO Steve Huffman stated that AI chatbots are not currently a major source of traffic for the social platform. This observation was made during the company’s third-quarter 2025 earnings call. He noted that despite progress from companies like OpenAI and Google in using AI for search, Google search and direct user access remain Reddit’s primary traffic drivers.
Huffman explained that while chatbots are not a traffic driver today, Reddit’s relationships with its partners are healthy. He mentioned that both sides have learned a great deal about the value of Reddit’s data and how their respective products can evolve. He expressed a commitment to continuing this collaborative work with partners.
When an analyst asked if traffic is split approximately 50% from Google and 50% direct, Huffman confirmed that those numbers are close to being accurate.
Reddit’s relationship with large language model builders has been complex. The company implemented a new policy in May 2024 that restricted access to its public data, stating that any commercial use would require a formal license. Concurrently, Reddit signed a data licensing agreement with OpenAI, allowing the use of its data for AI model training. The company also has a similar partnership agreement with Google.
In contrast, Reddit has initiated legal action against other AI firms. The company has filed lawsuits against both Anthropic and Perplexity for allegedly using Reddit data to train their AI systems without proper licensing.
Reddit reported a strong financial quarter with revenue of 585 million dollars, representing a 68 percent increase compared to the previous year. User metrics were also positive, with 116 million daily active unique users and 444 million weekly active unique users, marking 20 percent year-over-year growth. The company noted a 31 percent year-on-year growth in international daily users and stated that more than 190 million Americans visit the platform each week.
The company is focusing on improving its search experience. Huffman shared that Reddit’s AI-powered Answers feature and its core search box now handle 20 percent of all search volume. He also revealed that 75 million people conducted weekly searches on Reddit in the third quarter. Reddit plans to unify its AI and core search interfaces in the coming quarters.
Furthermore, Reddit is testing a new and simpler onboarding process for new users. The goal is to increase early engagement by helping users quickly discover relevant content and understand the value of the platform during their first session.