In an era where AI-generated content is flooding the internet, Reddit has been one of the last bastions of human-to-human interaction. However, a marketing automation startup named Astral aims to disrupt this dynamic, introducing LinkedIn-style marketing automation to the platform.
Astral’s founder, Savannah Feder, unveiled a controversial video on X this Thursday, showcasing how her AI-powered tool uses browser-based agents to navigate Reddit and post automated comments. The tool mimics human behavior by logging into Reddit, analyzing pages through AI, and executing actions like commenting based on a marketer’s objectives.
In the video, Feder demonstrates the bot accessing the subreddit /r/productmanagement, identifying posts about “user research,” and crafting promotional comments that attempt to avoid sounding overtly sales-focused. “It’s fascinating to watch Astral operate,” Feder says, highlighting how the bot interacts with the site in a human-like manner.
While the initial concept for such AI agents was to simplify tasks for everyday users—like helping someone unfamiliar with technology navigate a computer—Astral’s approach raises ethical concerns. Instead of empowering users, it appears to be creating a new wave of marketing spam that threatens the authenticity of online conversations.
Critics argue that tools like Astral contribute to the growing wave of AI-generated mediocrity and uninspired, soulless content. For those who have experienced the generic posts often found on platforms like LinkedIn, the idea of extending this to Reddit feels like a further erosion of meaningful online discourse.
One of the most contentious aspects of Astral is its circumvention of restrictions. When asked why the tool uses a browser agent instead of Reddit’s API, Feder candidly admitted it’s because APIs restrict automated tasks—a deliberate move by platforms to prevent spam. To make matters worse, the bot can reportedly bypass CAPTCHAs, which are designed to ensure that interactions are human-driven.
This development reflects a troubling mindset among creators of such tools: a belief that AI is interchangeable with human interaction, and in some cases, even superior. For many, it’s a stark reminder of the challenges AI presents when used irresponsibly.
