Over a million LinkedIn users have clicked the Seems like AI slop
button in three weeks, marking the platform’s aggressive response to AI-generated content that now makes up 41% of long-form posts, according to Pangram’s analysis.
LinkedIn’s Seems like AI slop
button has become a focal point in the battle against synthetic content, with over a million users clicking it in just three weeks. The feature, launched on July 30, allows users to flag posts they suspect were generated by AI tools like ChatGPT. This move follows a report by AI detection startup Pangram, which found that 41% of LinkedIn’s long-form posts were fully AI-generated, a figure that prompted the platform to take action.
User Backlash and Platform Response
The backlash against AI-generated content on LinkedIn has been swift and significant. Hari Srinivasan, LinkedIn’s chief product officer, shared data showing that over a million users have already engaged with the Seems like AI slop
button since its launch. Srinivasan emphasized that AI slop is a “top priority,” stating that users come to LinkedIn to connect with real people and share genuine perspectives. The platform’s response includes deploying new and improved
AI classifiers to identify synthetic content and removing features that encouraged AI-generated posts, such as an enhance your post
tool.
LinkedIn’s approach reflects a broader industry tension: while AI tools can boost content volume, they risk undermining the authenticity that platforms like LinkedIn rely on. The company’s decision to let users flag AI content directly highlights this dilemma. Sam Corrao Clannon, LinkedIn’s creator product lead, clarified that the button is not a tool for reporting policy violations but rather a way for users to curate their feeds by identifying low-substance, AI-generated posts. This is a way that we’re giving viewers more control over their own feeds,
Clannon said.
Technical Measures and User Impact
LinkedIn’s technical measures include blocking hundreds of thousands of automated comment attempts daily and introducing new classifiers to reduce the visibility of AI-generated content in recommended posts. The platform also plans to privately flag users’ dashboards when their posts are perceived as inauthentic due to heavy AI use. This aims to help users improve their writing rather than penalize them. Srinivasan noted that AI-generated content now sees 40% fewer views than a few weeks ago, a shift attributed to these efforts.
The Seems like AI slop
button ties into these measures by providing user feedback to refine LinkedIn’s AI models. When a user clicks the button, the post is hidden from their feed, and they receive a message thanking them for their feedback. However, the feature does not directly impact a post’s overall distribution unless many users report the same content. Srinivasan stressed that LinkedIn uses multiple signals to determine content visibility, ensuring no single user’s feedback unfairly targets others.
Industry Implications and Future Challenges
LinkedIn’s actions come amid growing concerns about AI-generated content across social media. Pangram, the AI detection startup, recently secured $9 million in funding to tackle the issue, while other platforms like Meta and X (formerly Twitter) have yet to implement similar user-flagging tools. LinkedIn’s willingness to publicize user engagement with the Seems like AI slop
button sets it apart, offering a transparent approach to combating synthetic content.
However, the challenge remains formidable. As AI writing tools improve, distinguishing machine-generated content from human work becomes increasingly difficult. LinkedIn’s current measures may address “easy catches” like generic motivational posts, but the harder test lies in identifying sophisticated AI-generated professional content. The platform’s success will depend on its ability to keep pace with evolving AI technologies and maintain user trust in the authenticity of its content.
The platform also plans to test features that notify users when their posts are perceived as inauthentic due to AI use. These measures aim to balance AI’s utility with the need for genuine engagement. Meanwhile, the broader tech industry watches closely, as LinkedIn’s approach could set a precedent for how platforms manage AI-generated content in the future.
