Is LinkedIn Officially Doomed by AI Generated Content? Why Every Post Sounds Identical

Okay, let's be real: has anyone actually scrolled through LinkedIn lately without feeling like they're trapped in a never-ending loop of motivational posters and humblebrags? I mean, the sameness is insane. And honestly, I think we can lay a good chunk of the blame at the feet of AI generated content. The problem? It's too damn easy to churn out generic, feel-good drivel that ticks all the "engagement" boxes.

The Rise of the LLM LinkedInfluencer

It’s not hard to see why this is happening. Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and GPT-4 are crazy good at mimicking human writing. Thing is, they're mimicking the worst parts of human writing, at least when it comes to LinkedIn. They’re trained on existing content, so they naturally regurgitate the same tired tropes: overcoming adversity, celebrating small wins, “adding value,” and of course, the ever-present call to "connect."

So yeah, you get this weird echo chamber effect. Someone writes a post about "embracing failure as a learning opportunity," and then ten other people write near-identical posts, all carefully crafted to maximize likes and comments. It’s like a corporate zombie apocalypse, but instead of brains, they’re after engagement.

The "AI-ification" of Personal Branding

I mean, remember when LinkedIn was actually about, you know, professional networking? Sharing industry insights, discussing new technologies, actually connecting with people? Now it feels like everyone is just trying to become a personal brand, and AI generated content is their weapon of choice.

Thing is, real branding comes from authenticity, from having a unique perspective. Slapping together a few platitudes generated by an LLM isn't going to cut it. It just contributes to the noise. And honestly, who are these people kidding? Everyone can spot that canned, lifeless prose a mile away.

Is Context Engineering to Blame?

Actually, the problem might go deeper than just lazy writing. It could be about how people are prompting these LLMs. Are they just saying "Write a LinkedIn post about perseverance," or are they giving the LLM actual context, like a specific experience or perspective? I'm guessing it's the former in most cases.

To get anything genuinely interesting out of ChatGPT or similar, you need to feed it some serious, nuanced information. You need to engineer the context. Without that, you’re just going to get generic pap. And that pap is slowly poisoning the LinkedIn well. AI generated content needs context.

The SEO Angle: Playing the Algorithm

Let's not forget the SEO aspect, right? People are optimizing their LinkedIn posts for search, just like they would a blog post or a website. They're trying to game the algorithm to get more visibility. And again, AI generated content is being used to churn out keyword-stuffed garbage.

You know, it’s wild how quickly everyone jumped on the SEO bandwagon. It was only a matter of time before people started abusing it. The incentive structures are all wrong. And, honestly, I’m not even sure if it works. Does anyone really find valuable information by searching on LinkedIn?

The Death of Serendipity (and Authentic Human Connection)

All this AI-fueled sameness is killing serendipity on LinkedIn. You used to be able to scroll through your feed and stumble upon interesting conversations, unique insights, or just genuinely helpful advice. Now it's all just… bland.

That’s the real tragedy. It’s not just that LinkedIn is becoming more annoying; it’s that it’s losing its potential to be a valuable resource. The signal-to-noise ratio is plummeting. I mean, how do you find the real experts, the people with genuine experience, when they’re drowned out by a sea of AI generated content?

I have no idea how we fix this. Maybe LinkedIn needs to crack down on AI-generated content. Maybe we all need to consciously resist the urge to churn out generic posts. Or maybe, just maybe, LinkedIn is already dead, and we're just too stubborn to admit it.

What do you think? Are you seeing the same thing? And is there anything we can do to salvage LinkedIn from the AI apocalypse?