Google Will Power Reddit Answers Tool - 1

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Google Will Power Reddit Answers Tool

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Google has confirmed that Reddit Answers, its new feature powered by AI, runs on Google’s Gemini AI, allegedly offering users faster answers from Reddit conversations.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Tool delivers AI summaries from real Reddit conversations and communities.
  • Users can follow links to full threads and ask follow-up questions.
  • Gemini was integrated before the Google Cloud Next ’25 announcement.

Although some early reports suggested the Gemini integration was new, a Google representative told Mashable that Reddit Answers had already been using Gemini before the recent announcement.

The tool first appeared in beta form in December 2024, but more details were shared at Google Cloud Next ‘25 in Las Vegas, as noted by Mashable.

Reddit Answers works by summarizing real discussions from Reddit’s massive pool of over 100,000 communities and nearly 400 million weekly users.

Users can ask a question and receive an AI-generated summary, complete with links to Reddit threads where the conversations happened. This gives people the chance to see what others have said, follow the discussion, or ask more questions.

“By integrating Google Cloud’s Vertex AI Search along with Reddit-built technology into Reddit Answers, we are bringing the same innovation that powers Google to our users,” said Matt Snelham, Reddit’s SVP of Infrastructure, as reported by Mashable.

“Users are seeing improved search relevance and as a result, we’ve seen a growth in users directly navigating to the Reddit homepage through Reddit Answers, increasing platform engagement,” he added.

Gemini helps Reddit Answers find the most relevant content, using Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform to search through massive amounts of data and pull answers from real posts.

“The integration of Vertex AI Search into Reddit Answers means users can find the information they need more quickly and accurately, and easily navigate to the conversations that matter to them,” said Michael Clark, President of North America GTM at Google Cloud, as reported by Mashable.

Google’s push to integrate Gemini into more platforms like Reddit is part of its effort to stay ahead in the fast-moving AI race.

U.S. Financial Regulator Reports Cyberattack Exposing Sensitive Email Data - 2

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U.S. Financial Regulator Reports Cyberattack Exposing Sensitive Email Data

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) disclosed on Tuesday that a cybersecurity breach in February exposed sensitive data related to financial entities. The incident, which involved unauthorized access to email accounts of OCC executives and staff, has been mitigated, and the financial regulator has released further details about the vulnerability.

  • The OCC disclosed a cybersecurity breach that took place in February targeting its email system.
  • The agency reported the attack as a “major information security incident” to Congress.
  • Hackers got access to employees’ and executives’ emails, as well as sensitive financial information.

In an official announcement , the OCC—the agency that supervises and regulates banks in the country—explained that, as required by the Federal Information Security Modernization Act, it has reported a “major information security incident” to Congress.

The OCC explained that on February 11, it learned about unauthorized access from emails and email attachments and, after confirming unapproved interactions on February 12, immediately activated security protocols, disabling the compromised accounts and terminating the unauthorized access.

The investigation pursued by the OCC and independent third-party cybersecurity experts revealed that malicious actors got access to employees’ and executives’ emails with “highly sensitive information relating to the financial condition of federally regulated financial institutions.”

The agency first reported the email system incident on February 26 to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, clarifying that it had no impact on the financial sector. The threat has been mitigated, but evaluations and updates are ongoing.

“I have taken immediate steps to determine the full extent of the breach and to remedy the long-held organizational and structural deficiencies that contributed to this incident,” said Acting Comptroller of the Currency Rodney E. Hood. “There will be full accountability for the vulnerabilities identified and any missed internal findings that led to the unauthorized access.”

The OCC is currently analysing its IT security policies and procedures, and looking for alternatives to prevent similar incidents and enhance security.

Several cyberattacks targeting email users and systems have been reported this month. A few days ago, cybersecurity firm Symantec revealed a phishing campaign using fake shipping emails and a disguised screensaver file, and ASEC identified another cyberattack targeting job seekers .