TikTok might launch ChatGPT-generated search results

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TikTok is reportedly playing around with AI-generated search results.

According to screenshots obtained by The Verge, the social media giant is set to introduce a tool called “AI Smart Search” with material generated by ChatGPT. As per a separate page about the search results, TikTok says it will display this content when the algorithm “finds them relevant to your search.”

Essentially, the app is reportedly testing AI-generated summaries appearing at the top of search results only for certain queries. The Verge found these for search terms like “best laptops” and specific recipes. These highlights appear at the top of some pages with the label “AI Search highlights”, and summarize key information, a concept similar to the AI-powered summaries being implemented by Yelp, Slack, and Amazon.

It’s not yet clear whether this feature is rolling out officially yet. A few quick searches on my own TikTok account did not result in any AI-generated highlights. Mashable has reached out to TikTok for comment.

The news comes shortly after TikTok announced a new approach to watermarking AI-generated content, applying these labels automatically to content made offsite.

Last year, TikTok was spotted integrating Google results and Wikipedia summaries in-app, too. The integration of these third-party providers wasn’t surprising: for years, TikTok has transformed into a search engine itself, especially for its Gen-Z users.

Meanwhile, TikTok is fighting an external battle in the U.S., currently opposing a bill that requires the app’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest in order to remain accessible in the country. If TikTok fails to comply, the app may face a total ban.

Meera is a Culture Reporter at Mashable, joining the UK team in 2021. She writes about digital culture, mental health, big tech, entertainment, and more. Her work has also been published in The New York Times, Vice, Vogue India, and others.