TikTok tests ChatGPT-powered summaries in searches

TikTok is looking to capitalize on how its users, especially younger demographics, are turning to the app for all their search needs.

Many forego traditional search engines like Google, opting to search for restaurant or product recommendations directly on TikTok. And guess what? TikTok has been taking notice.

As a response to this behaviour, TikTok is testing an "AI Smart Search" feature that basically shows AI-generated summaries at the top of search results with material generated by ChatGPT.

This development suggests the video platform has finally settled with ChatGPT. TikTok had previously experimented with integrating Google Search results and links to external platforms like Wikipedia and IMDb directly within its app, but those experiments didn't quite stick.

Essentially these summaries, displayed as "AI search highlights," with condensed key information relating to your search (Chia seed pudding recipes in this case), pop up at the top of specific search results. Clicking them reveals a full response on a separate page. This mirrors similar AI-powered summaries offered by Yelp, Slack, and Amazon.

A note on the results page clarifies that TikTok generates these ChatGPT answers only when deemed relevant to your search. It also noted the potential for irrelevant summaries or inaccurate answers due to the newness of the feature. Notably, this feature appears limited for now, not applying to all queries.

Meanwhile, there's also a separate "search highlights" function that isn't labelled as AI-generated. These, appear not to be AI-generated and also show up at the top of search results, but it’s not clear where that information is coming from.

An official rollout to TikTok's massive user base (over 1.6 billion monthly according to Business of Apps) is yet to be confirmed. However, if implemented, it could potentially streamline the search process, eliminating the need to switch between TikTok and traditional search engines for quick queries.