TLDR

Elon Musk’s critique of LinkedIn on an unrelated matter may unexpectedly still apply. A recent report by Originality AI reveals a startling trend: over 50% of longer English-language posts on LinkedIn are likely AI-generated.

Analyzing 8,795 public posts (100+ words, January 2018–October 2024), the report shows AI content was negligible until 2023, coinciding with the rise of ChatGPT and LinkedIn’s own AI writer integration for premium users.

The impact?

• 16M new users posted for the first time.

• Posting frequency rose 15% among existing creators.

• Text posts grew 28% longer, often due to AI tools.

The Why: LinkedIn’s Business Model

LinkedIn relies on three revenue streams:

• Talent Solutions (65%): Recruitment tools like job postings and candidate databases.

• Marketing Solutions (25%): Sponsored ads, InMail, and influencer-driven campaigns.

• Premium Subscriptions (10%): Advanced features for networking and insights.

For these to thrive, user engagement is non-negotiable. More creators = more content = a livelier ecosystem for recruiters, advertisers, and professionals.

However, LinkedIn faces a unique challenge: its core identity as a professional platform. Unlike Instagram or Twitter, casual content (e.g., pet photos) doesn’t belong here. That’s where AI comes in to lower the entry barrier for users to create and interact, further rewarding them with boosts from the Kiss of Algorithms.

The What and How: Ruled by the Algos

LinkedIn algorithms favor:

• Active posters (creators)

• Frequent commenters on recent posts

• Visual content, with a growing emphasis on short videos

AI tools help users optimize everything—topic sourcing, writing, posting schedules, even engaging with content. The result? A world where (semi) robots talk to (semi) robots—and we’re all caught in the middle.

Creators are getting sooo good at this, they have crystallized learnings into playbooks to further enhance the trend in the community.

Why does this all sound so familiar?

The Next: Hold on to my Crystal Ball

• “Creator” Avalanche
  With 760M users (310M active monthly), only 3M were posting regularly in 2021. This number is set to skyrocket as leaders embrace LinkedIn as a go-to-market tool. AI tools like EasyGen, AuthoredUp and SocialSonic will further boost this trend.

• Anti-AI Social Movements
  By 2025, frustrations over inauthenticity may spark protests and even platform exits, echoing Hugging Face CEO Clem Delangue’s predictions. Expect debates on professionalism versus automation to intensify.

• A New Branding Battleground
  LinkedIn could rival platforms like YouTube and Instagram as a marketing hub. Tools like Creator Match are already helping brands leverage influencers to reach niche audiences.

LinkedIn, once a professional Rolodex, is now a social media hybrid fueled by AI. Whether this transformation enhances connections or drowns value in a sea of automated noise we don’t know, but it surely will be the future as we see early adopting creators have created 7-figure businesses already from this trend.

What’s your take? Are we heading toward professional enlightenment or content chaos?

Food of Thought

Why so serious?