Companies spam Reddit to manipulate ChatGPT, Google AI answers

Companies Game Reddit to Manipulate ChatGPT and Google AI Answers

Peptide and supplement companies have been systematically spamming Reddit to influence what AI chatbots tell users about their products, exploiting the platform’s formal data-sharing agreements with both Google and OpenAI, according to a report by 404 Media published on Tuesday.404media

How the Scheme Works

The investigation, reported by 404 Media journalist Jason Koebler, found that companies selling peptides and hormone replacement therapy products had been infiltrating the r/biohackers subreddit — a community of more than 1.5 million members focused on supplements and DIY biology — with coordinated promotional content designed to be scraped by AI systems. The practice, known as AI-engine optimization or AEO, targets the data pipelines that feed tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews.reddit

The strategy exploits Reddit’s increasingly central role in training and sourcing content for AI products. Reddit struck a data-licensing deal with Google reportedly worth $60 million in early 2024, and entered a separate partnership with OpenAI in May 2024 granting real-time access to Reddit content for use in ChatGPT. Bloomberg reported in September 2025 that Reddit was in talks to deepen those arrangements further, with the company exploring dynamic pricing as its data becomes more valuable to AI systems.bloomberg

Mashable reported that 404 Media identified one company, RedRover, that openly advertises deploying AI agents to mass-publish content across Reddit and blogs to boost clients’ visibility in AI-generated answers. RedRover’s website describes itself as an “AI Marketing Agent” that helps brands “rank on Google, ChatGPT, & Reddit.”mashable

Moderators Push Back

In response, the moderators of r/biohackers announced they would restrict standalone peptide and HRT posts, channeling discussion into weekly megathreads. The moderators cited both the manipulation campaign and health risks to users, including teenagers who frequent the community.reddit

The move comes amid a broader reckoning over AI-driven spam on Reddit. A BBC investigation published in May found that Google has revised its spam policies to explicitly warn that attempts to manipulate AI outputs violate company guidelines, with offending sites facing removal or lower rankings. ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude have also begun adding disclaimers to responses flagged as potentially influenced by spam.bbc

The peptide industry itself is in flux. The FDA announced in April 2026 that it would remove 12 peptides from its restricted Category 2 compounding list and convene advisory committee meetings in July to consider their formal authorization — creating a commercial incentive for companies to establish brand recognition through any channel available, including manipulation of AI systems.orrick