Reddit combats AI-generated marketing spam using its own AI technology.
More and more individuals are turning to ChatGPT instead of Google for information. Consequently, marketers have started to post fake opinions on Reddit, hoping that chatbots will quote them as authentic. Reddit is now responding with its own AI solutions.
Reddit is facing a new and peculiar spam issue. According to Bloomberg, brands are engaging in stealth marketing by posting comments and threads that appear to be genuine user opinions. The objective is to have AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, reference these posts as legitimate advice.
Reasons for Reddit's popularity
Both OpenAI and Google financially compensate Reddit for its content. Chatbots rely on the site because users trust its candid, human discussions. This trust positions Reddit as one of the most referenced sources in AI-generated responses, making it an ideal target for manipulation.
By introducing a carefully crafted thread, a chatbot might suggest a product as though it had been recommended by a real individual. This practice is at the core of a rapidly emerging field known as generative engine optimization, or GEO, which can be viewed as the contemporary equivalent of search engine optimization.
Combating AI using AI
Reddit is now utilizing similar technology to combat spammers. During the first quarter, its enhanced systems identified 25,000 “spammy posts and comments” daily, resulting in a 20 percent reduction in user exposure year on year.
Advanced language models can now detect “the subtle, coordinated patterns of fake behavior and artificial hype” that previous tools overlooked. Additionally, Reddit assesses new accounts for potential warning signs before allowing them to post.
A significant portion of the labor is still performed by humans. Community moderators were responsible for over half of all removals during the latter half of 2025, according to Reddit.
An ongoing struggle
Marketers are not backing down. Shanzila Ahmed, who runs the agency ReachLLM, stated that she managed to get client posts featured in ChatGPT within a day, although Reddit later removed some of those posts. Her strategy captures the essence of the ongoing competition. “We just need to keep pushing out good new content at regular intervals,” she remarked. Investors are also recognizing the potential in this space.
The GEO startup Profound reached a valuation exceeding $1 billion this year. It represents a new wave of companies focused on enhancing brands' visibility to AI.
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Reddit combats AI-generated marketing spam using its own AI technology.
Brands are manipulating ChatGPT and Gemini by creating false Reddit posts. According to Reddit, its AI currently detects 25,000 spammy posts each day. Welcome to GEO.