LinkedIn Introduces Button to Flag AI-Generated Content

LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, has rolled out a new feature allowing users to report posts and comments that appear to be generated by artificial intelligence. The button, labeled "Seems like AI slop" in English and "sembra contenuto IA scadente" in Italian, aims to address the growing prevalence of AI-written content on the platform. According to data from Pangram Labs, a startup specializing in AI content detection, 41% of long-form posts and 30% of comments on LinkedIn in June were AI-generated, compared to 29% on X and 13% on Reddit. The move has sparked mixed reactions, with some users criticizing the negative connotation of the term "AI slop" and pointing out the irony that LinkedIn previously offered an AI-powered feature to improve posts. Dan Roth, LinkedIn's editor-in-chief and vice president of content, acknowledged that many AI-generated posts fall into a gray area, appearing human-written but not quite, which creates a negative user experience. The feature is part of LinkedIn's broader efforts to maintain authenticity on the platform, which is primarily used for professional networking, job seeking, and business promotion. The introduction of this reporting tool reflects the platform's response to the homogenization of content style and substance caused by AI chatbots, which often produce posts with strong openings, assertive tones, bullet-point structures, and engagement-seeking questions.