Turkey-based online classifieds platform sahibinden.com has announced that it has consolidated all of its artificial intelligence–based products, developed over the past eight years at its R&D center, under the sahiAI brand. Along with the launch, the company also introduced a new chat-based listing search feature for the first time.
A new approach to listing search with sahiAI
With sahiAI, users can search for listings using everyday language instead of relying solely on filter menus. Queries such as “close to the metro, with an en-suite bathroom and sea view” or “a fuel-efficient hybrid SUV” are interpreted by the system and matched with relevant listings. The feature will initially be available in the vehicles and real estate categories and is expected to expand to other categories in the coming period.
Eight years of AI development under a single umbrella
According to the company, sahiAI is not limited to the newly introduced search function. The initiative builds on work that began in 2018 with “Photo-Based Vehicle Recognition” and later expanded to include products such as Fotobot, which improves the quality of listing images; Virtual Tour, which enables three-dimensional walkthroughs of properties; and SahiDeko, a tool that allows users to visualize interior decoration changes. All of these products are now positioned under the sahiAI umbrella.
How the chat-based search works
The new chat-based search system goes beyond simple keyword matching by evaluating listing descriptions and geographic data together. This allows expressions not included in standard filters—such as “fuel-efficient,” “family-friendly,” or “panoramic sunroof”—to be taken into account. The company states that this approach aims to better understand user intent and deliver more relevant results.
Statements from company executives
Burak Ertaş, CEO of sahibinden.com, said that artificial intelligence has been one of the company’s core focus areas since 2018 and emphasized that all AI products have been developed in-house by the company’s own engineering teams. He noted that the sahiAI brand brings greater visibility to these efforts.
Bora Biçer, Deputy General Manager for Product Development and Management, explained that the sahiAI infrastructure goes beyond a conventional chatbot and is built on a layered artificial intelligence architecture. According to Biçer, the system focuses on understanding the intent behind users’ queries, enabling more accurate and relevant search results.
Plans to expand coverage
The company also announced that the chat-based listing search feature offered through sahiAI will be rolled out to additional listing categories in the future. With this expansion, sahibinden.com aims to make AI-powered search a standard experience across the platform.
