Yelp just released a major software update with over 20 new features, and several of these tools are packed with artificial intelligence. The biggest news for regular users is the addition of AI-written business summaries, which Yelp says will help people find the perfect restaurant or service to meet their needs.
There are also new visuals for the home feed and a revamped search experience that the company says will help users find that perfect lunch spot. This home feed includes artificial intelligence to deliver more relevant content to users, and in addition to videos posted by local businesses, it will also display images from nearby restaurants that match previous user queries.
Artificial intelligence covers business users. The app now offers business owners “smart AI-powered budgets” to optimize ad spend. There are also new data insights that provide “valuable market and competitive” information for business owners.
Yelp expands Recognition to encourage user engagement. Users can now earn official compliments by regularly reviewing certain food types. You can win one of these coveted digital trophies by reviewing three restaurants that offer the same cuisine over the course of a year. You can find these credentials in the Achievements section of the program.
The update is currently only available on iOS, but Yelp reports that an Android version will be released in the coming months. This isn’t the first time the service has dipped into the artificial intelligence pool. Back in April, the company announced to improve search.
