Reddit Shifts to Logged-In Only for AI

Reddit is shutting off AI features for anyone not signed in, beginning with tests outside the US. The change follows a drop of about one million weekly Google referrals in October, which Huffman blamed on AI summaries. Over 80 percent of Reddit's revenue already comes from logged-in and app users, so the shift reinforces its core business. The company also touts new AI-powered tools like visual podcasts that turn posts into videos, plus better moderation. What most people miss is that the move protects Reddit's massive data set. That data is a key asset in its ongoing talks with OpenAI and Google. Testing will start soon outside the United States before a global rollout later this year. As Huffman warned, "Google has really shifted in their relationship with the rest of the internet."