LinkedIn, the Microsoft-owned professional networking platform, celebrates its 21st year in the tech industry. To remain relevant and engaging for its nearly 1 billion users, the company is introducing a range of AI features across its job hunting, marketing, and sales offerings. These updates encompass AI integration throughout its Recruiter talent sourcing platform, the introduction of an AI-powered LinkedIn Learning coach, and the launch of a new AI-driven tool for marketing campaigns.
LinkedIn, a platform that generated $15 billion in revenue last year, has been steadily integrating AI-driven features into its suite of products. In March, it introduced AI-powered writing suggestions for users crafting messages. Additionally, recruiters have encountered various AI-driven experiments, including job description generation, throughout the year. These recent announcements expand upon these efforts.
LinkedIn isn’t a newcomer to the AI scene; it has been a significant AI adopter for some time, although much of its AI work has operated behind the scenes. Have you ever wondered why LinkedIn suggests connections that align perfectly with your interests? That’s the result of AI. Similarly, all the insights and data LinkedIn generates about its user base and their activities? You guessed it—AI is at the core of that.
“As a matter of fact, AI fuels every aspect of LinkedIn,” noted senior engineer Deepak Agarwal in 2018 (he remains with the company).
What’s evolved is the global perspective on AI. AI has transitioned into a mainstream focus, partly driven by OpenAI’s advancements and the development of services like ChatGPT. These offerings provide regular individuals with a firsthand opportunity to witness how a computer-based brain can accelerate tasks they might have previously attempted manually.
Another transformation is happening: LinkedIn, historically known for constructing its own AI tools for behind-the-scenes functions, is now outsourcing. The company, acquired by Microsoft some years back, is utilizing technology from OpenAI and Microsoft to drive a range of its recent features, as confirmed by the company.
As you may be aware, Microsoft holds a significant 49% ownership stake in OpenAI, marked by a substantial $13 billion investment earlier this year. This strategic investment has led Microsoft to incorporate OpenAI technology into many of its own products. While VP of Engineering Erran Berger mentioned that the company will continue assessing its tech choices and the possibility of developing its own Large Language Models and AI offerings, LinkedIn is presently set to leverage the resources of its parent company and its parent’s significant investment in this realm.
Here’s a brief overview of what’s fresh
LinkedIn is introducing Recruiter 2024, a novel AI-powered recruitment solution. This tool will leverage generative AI to assist recruitment experts in crafting more effective search queries, yielding more robust candidate selections. Much like the conversational capabilities seen in tools like ChatGPT, recruiters will have the ability to employ more natural language in their searches. This approach will expand search results to include suggestions beyond what recruiters initially considered, broadening the scope of potential candidates.
LinkedIn Learning is set to incorporate AI in the form of a “learning coach,” essentially embodied as a chatbot. In its initial stage, this coach will offer guidance primarily focused on soft skills, drawing from suggestions and tips. For instance, it might provide advice on effective task delegation. While the coach may recommend relevant courses, its value will extend beyond that, encompassing the delivery of information and guidance to users. LinkedIn boasts an extensive library of learning videos, spanning not only soft skills but also technical expertise and other knowledge essential for specific roles. It will be intriguing to observe whether LinkedIn eventually extends the coach’s capabilities to encompass this broader range of material.
The field of marketing is set to receive a boost from AI, courtesy of a new offering named Accelerate. While marketing professionals have been embracing technical skills, this development marks an interesting pivot. The core concept is to simplify the process of running LinkedIn campaigns, reducing the heavy lifting. It’s worth noting that Accelerate is confined to campaigns and data within the LinkedIn ecosystem. Given that marketing efforts often span multiple platforms and audiences, users may discover that the tool’s impact is somewhat constrained in this regard.
Lastly, the AI transformation extends to Inside Sales and B2B selling on LinkedIn. This sector, which focuses on B2B sales professionals using LinkedIn to discover new customers or deepen connections within their networks, is receiving AI-powered enhancements. The forthcoming AI feature will introduce an improved search function to simplify the process of identifying potential connections and initiating conversations with leads. Considering that AI-driven sales approaches of this nature are already well-established in the broader business landscape (so much so that some VCs express fatigue with “yet another AI sales startup”), this addition appears to be a long-awaited move for LinkedIn.
