LinkedIn has announced it is suppressing posts and comments written with the help of artificial intelligence, a move aimed at curbing what it calls 'AI slop'. Laura Lorenzetti, the platform's vice president of product, said on Wednesday that content flagged as AI-generated by a new detection system will not be removed but will be suppressed from recommendations.
In early tests, the system correctly identified generic AI-generated content 94 per cent of the time, the Microsoft-owned company said in a blog post. 'We're seeing a rise in what many call 'AI slop', content that is low-effort, AI-generated content that may sound polished on the surface but lacks any real unique perspective or substance,' Ms Lorenzetti wrote.
LinkedIn's new systems have been trained to recognise signals of AI slop, including content that feels generic or repetitive. 'When content appears to be generated by AI and lacks a clear perspective, it is less likely to be widely distributed beyond a person's immediate network,' the company said. The platform hopes users will see less generic AI content from outside their networks on their feeds.
The crackdown comes as LinkedIn continues to offer its own 'Rewrite with AI' feature in its post composer, suggesting the company is not banning AI outright but ensuring it is used as a tool rather than a replacement for original thought. 'Bots and fake AI profiles ruin genuine engagement,' LinkedIn said, adding that the updates are designed to protect the experience so users interact with real people offering real points of view.
Other social media platforms have also taken steps against AI-generated content. YouTube recently announced efforts to demonetise channels mass-producing inauthentic AI content, while TikTok and Meta have enforced stricter rules for labelling AI-generated content.
