TikTok is testing AI-generated search results

TikTok is testing a more robust search results page, including the use of generative AI. The feature appears to be new and is called “search highlights”.

A snippet of AI results appears at the top of some search results pages, and clicking the section opens a new page with the full answer. In quick tests, I was able to find AI results for queries about recipes or topics like “best laptops 2024.”

A page explaining the results says the material is generated using ChatGPT, and that TikTok displays the content “when [the algorithm] considers them relevant to your research. The feature seems limited so far: not all queries have AI answers.

There is also a similar feature called “search highlights” that is not labeled as AI-generated. They also appear at the top of search results, but it’s unclear where this information comes from, such as whether they are summarized videos or pulled from elsewhere. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the features.

The video platform has been steadily adding more features to in-app search. Last fall, TikTok began testing adding Google search results to the app’s results page, which essentially functioned as a link to Google. TikTok also experimented with adding links to Wikipedia, IMDBand other websites directly from the app’s search results page.

TikTok is trying to build on some of the habits its users – especially younger ones – have developed on the app. Many younger users treat TikTok like a search engine, choosing to look for restaurant or product recommendations in the app rather than using platforms like Google Search. And like Google, TikTok now appears to be leaning into AI results by including them above creator content.