Reddit, once known for its vibrant user base but lackluster financial performance, has unexpectedly soared on the wings of the artificial intelligence boom. This transformation is largely due to the platform’s vast repository of authentic user-generated data, an invaluable asset for AI model training.
Recognizing the immense value of this data, Reddit has taken drastic measures to protect and monetize it. The company went so far as to dismantle third-party clients, modifying its API to prohibit unauthorized access or unpaid usage of its data.
Following these API changes, Reddit proceeded with its IPO, allowing financial reports to reveal its revenue streams—most notably, the fees earned from licensing data to AI companies. According to its financial disclosures, Google pays Reddit $60 million annually for data to train AI models, while OpenAI contributes $70 million per year for data licensing rights.
Together, Google and OpenAI inject $130 million annually into Reddit’s coffers solely for data acquisition, accounting for 10% of the company’s total revenue. However, Reddit has not disclosed the amounts paid by other AI companies for similar data access.
Rough math, but interesting 🙂 Reddit told AdWeek that its AI licensing deals make up about 10% of its revenue. Annual revenue for Reddit in 2024 was $1.3B, so 10% is $130M. Google pays Reddit $60M so that means OpenAI is paying Reddit about $70M per year. That number has never… pic.twitter.com/D6RyQaAfbD
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) February 13, 2025
The company asserts that for a platform of Reddit’s scale, data licensing represents a crucial revenue stream—an immensely valuable asset. Prospective partners must adhere to specific contractual terms, as only those who comply with these stipulations can access Reddit’s data via its API.
Meanwhile, advertising remains the bedrock of Reddit’s financial success. In Q4 2024, the company reported revenue of $427.7 million, the majority of which came from advertising. Notably, Reddit’s ad revenue surged by an impressive 60% year-over-year, underscoring the platform’s growing appeal to advertisers.
The driving force behind this advertising boom is Reddit’s surging traffic. Despite user growth falling short of analysts’ expectations in the latest quarter, the number of weekly active unique visitors still saw a remarkable 42% year-over-year increase, reaching a total of 379 million.
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