Reddit’s human creators remain popular amid surge of AI content
As AI-generated content increasingly saturates the internet, Reddit is experiencing strong user growth, with executives and analysts attributing its momentum to perceived authenticity, community-driven discussion, and demand for lived human experience.
According to reporting by the BBC, Reddit is seeing renewed growth as users seek human interaction in an online environment increasingly filled with AI-generated content.
Reddit reported 116 million daily active users globally, marking a 19% year-on-year increase in its most recent third quarter.
The platform, historically associated with tech-oriented male users, has become more demographically balanced. Women now account for more than 50% of users in both the US and UK, and the platform is reportedly the fastest-growing social network among UK women.
Reddit operates through user-created communities known as subreddits, where posts are ranked by upvotes rather than chronological order. Volunteer moderators manage individual communities, while company administrators can intervene when necessary.
Chief Operating Officer Jen Wong said Reddit has preserved ‘human authenticity’ amid AI-driven content that has crowded the internet. Popular discussion areas include parenting, skincare, reality television, and deeply personal experiences such as pregnancy or hair loss, topics where peer perspectives and lived experience are valued.
However, experts caution that Reddit faces governance challenges. Dr Yusuf Oc of Bayes Business School notes that upvote systems can reward consensus rather than factual accuracy, potentially reinforcing echo chambers, groupthink, and coordinated manipulation tactics such as brigading and astroturfing. Moderation quality may vary across communities due to reliance on volunteers.
Reddit has also signed data licensing agreements with AI companies, including OpenAI, allowing tools such as ChatGPT to access Reddit content. A study commissioned by Reddit found it to be the most cited source across AI search tools, including Google AI Overviews and Perplexity.
Analysts suggest these agreements increase visibility but are not necessarily the primary driver of user growth. The article situates Reddit’s rise within a broader shift toward platforms perceived as offering candid, less polished discussion in contrast to influencer-driven or AI-generated content ecosystems.
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