- LinkedIn exec reveals plans to cut AI slop
- Move appearance to cut down on fake or unoriginal content and posts
- Users will no longer see AI-generated content in their recommendations
LinkedIn may soon become a much better place to network and catch up on updates from old colleagues after the site announced new plans to cut back on AI-generated “slop” content.
In a new blog post, LinkedIn’s VP of Product Laura Lorenzetti outlined what the changes will look like to get rid of not only obvious engagement bait, but also recycled “thought leadership” and other “generic” content.
The move will also see LinkedIn target posts and comments that have clear signs of being created with AI engineering, such as the infamous “em dash problem” and “it’s not X, it’s Y” phrases, as well as targeting bots and fake, AI-generated profiles.
LinkedIn targets AI slop
“At a time when more people need help navigating work, it’s more important than ever that people can learn from real voices, authentic perspectives and lived expertise,” Lorenzetti wrote.
“While AI can be a useful tool for refining language, we’re seeing an increase in what many call “AI slop,” content that is low-stakes, AI-generated content that may sound polished on the surface but lacks any real unique perspective or substance.”
Lorenzetti said the move was a company-wide effort, with engineers working with the site’s in-house editorial team to identify certain patterns and build technology to detect and flag AI slop.
If AI slop content is detected, the site will now look to ensure that these posts are hidden from users’ recommendations – although they can still be seen by a person’s direct connections and followers.
The system will also seek to “learn over time by identifying content that adds perspective, context or expertise, and content that feels generic or repetitive, even if it looks polished on the surface.”
She added that early results had been “encouraging,” noting that members are already seeing fewer of these types of posts in their feeds, “and we expect that to continue over time.”
The move will certainly be welcomed by LinkedIn’s users, who are growing increasingly frustrated with the amount of poor-quality content being posted to the site every day, with feeds being flooded with nonsensical AI-generated images and ads or posts that are clearly engagement farming.
However, it may still require some finesse, as the platform offers its own AI-powered writing tools that allow users to generate or rewrite draft posts before publishing.
This could indicate that an upgrade or overhaul is on the way for the Microsoft-owned platform’s AI capabilities.
The news is the latest move by LinkedIn to boost its services to users worldwide, after it also recently launched a set of tools for early-stage business owners, including new Premium Business profiles with dynamic cover photos, custom buttons and improved profile branding tools to make them more “founder-led” and less “resume-focused.”
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