Human-Centric Content Wins on LinkedIn

At a time when AI is helping us create more, faster, LinkedIn is pumping the brakes.

The platform is testing a tool that allows users to privately report posts that “seem like AI slop,” an effort to reduce the amount of low-quality content appearing in feeds and reward content that feels more useful, original and human. Since the rollout, more than 1 million users have reportedly already used the tool.

For communicators and brands, there are pros and cons to what LinkedIn is doing. AI-generated content can create problems when it is used to deceive, spread misinformation, steal intellectual property or simply overwhelm feeds with spam and low-quality posts.

But AI can also be a creative equalizer, particularly for smaller, resource-constrained teams. It can help people develop ideas, work more efficiently and get more from the resources they already have. That value shouldn’t be dismissed simply because there is also a lot of bad AI-generated content out there.

The issue isn’t whether communicators should use AI. It’s how they use it. AI should be a tool to drive value, boost productivity and extend the efforts of your team, but that can’t come at the expense of accuracy, honesty and human-led expertise. AI can help you get there faster, but it still needs people who know what they want to say and why anyone should care.

That may become even more important as LinkedIn and other platforms look for ways to separate useful content from the growing volume of material being generated every day. Ultimately, brands still need to share timely content that resonates and brings a unique perspective to their audiences. That’s where the value lies.

Speed is important, but nothing beats authentic, human-generated content.