"The heart of the internet": AI has marketers flocking to Reddit

The popular online forum Reddit started calling itself “the heart of the internet” last year. Now, brands are agreeing: Reddit is the place to be — online, at least.

AI bots and large language models are continuously scraping the internet of its information, and Reddit has become a favorite “meal” of sorts. Brands and marketers have taken notice.

According to Kate Deighton, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, brands are inserting themselves into related subreddits to advertise products and help fellow Redditors.

"You have to be helpful as a brand on Reddit,” Deighton said. “A lot of brands aren't used to that. They're used to social media letting them do whatever they want.”

“Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal spoke with Deighton about how AI has changed where brands hang out, and how Redditors feel about the corporate intrusion.

To hear their full conversation, click the audio player above.