LinkedIn is gearing up for the historic 2024 election year, where an estimated 2 billion people across 50 countries are expected to participate. However, concerns are rising about the potential interference of artificial intelligence-generated misinformation, especially through social media platforms. LinkedIn, as a leading professional social networking platform, has implemented measures to detect and identify misinformation and biased political content. The platform does not allow political ads and utilizes AI models to scan and moderate content. Users also have the option to opt out of political content through content classifiers.
With almost the entire content moderation, trust, and integrity team of LinkedIn operating from Bengaluru, India, the platform is focused on weeding out harmful content using AI. The team works on detecting fake accounts, spam, scams, and other harmful content even before it goes live. Human reviewers also work alongside AI models for more nuanced execution. LinkedIn’s efforts have been successful, with automated defenses catching a majority of fake accounts and spam. The platform is continuously working to enhance its systems and create playbooks for better content moderation.
In November 2023, LinkedIn introduced a range of generative AI features for its premium members, allowing users to optimize functions like writing posts, creating profiles, applying for jobs, upskilling, and networking. The platform reported a 25% increase in premium subscribers in 2023, contributing to $1.7 billion in revenue from subscriptions. The adoption of AI features has played a significant role in this growth. However, these generative AI products are currently limited to premium members due to cost and scalability factors. LinkedIn is considering introducing versions of these features for non-paying users in the future by optimizing and using smaller models for simpler tasks.
LinkedIn is also diversifying its business model with the introduction of Premium Pages, specifically targeting small and medium businesses. The under-testing LinkedIn Premium Company Page is expected to have a subscription fee of up to $99 per month. This move aims to offer additional value to businesses on the platform and generate new revenue streams for LinkedIn. The platform continues to explore ways to make AI features more accessible to all users while considering cost-efficiency and scalability challenges. Despite these obstacles, LinkedIn remains committed to leveraging AI for content moderation and enhancing user experience on the platform.
The company executive also shared insights into the future roadmap of LinkedIn, focusing on enhancing user experience, expanding revenue streams, and improving content moderation efforts. With a growing team in Bengaluru dedicated to trust and integrity, LinkedIn is well-positioned to tackle the challenges of misinformation and biased content on its platform. By leveraging AI technology, human expertise, and continuous optimization, LinkedIn aims to provide a safe and professional networking environment for its global user base. As the 2024 election approaches, the platform remains vigilant in combating misinformation and ensuring a trustworthy digital space for its users.