Saldanha emphasized that Yelp's unique value lies in its extensive and nuanced user-generated content, and that AI is used to enhance this, not replace it. He also discussed the company's efforts to maintain the authenticity of reviews and prevent AI-generated reviews. Looking ahead, Saldanha expressed excitement about using AI to provide a more immersive experience of businesses through user-generated content. He also mentioned the potential for AI to help businesses match with the right consumers and manage their budgets.
Key takeaways:
- Yelp has been investing in AI for over 10 years and is using it to parse through hundreds of millions of reviews to present information to consumers in a precise and personal way.
- Yelp's AI strategy includes refining search intent, presenting users with relevant results, and facilitating connections between consumers and businesses.
- Yelp is also using AI to help users write more detailed and quality reviews by providing prompts and nudges during the review writing process.
- Despite the rise of AI, Yelp maintains the authenticity of user reviews and does not allow generative AI to write reviews. The company has deployed sophisticated solutions to validate the authenticity of reviews and combat bots and solicited reviews.