LinkedIn is becoming an AI wasteland. Let’s reclaim it for humans
One of the best platforms for professional human connection is morphing into an AI echo chamber in front of our eyes. Leanne Shelton, founder of HumanEdge AI Training and author of AI-Human Fusion, explains how we can fight the robots and keep Linkedin feeling human.
Linkedin is starting to feel like a networking event where everyone’s swapped their business cards for bots.
Scroll for five seconds and you’ll see what I mean. There are auto-generated posts with zero soul. Generic leadership quotes or messages repackaged by ChatGPT. Comments like “Great insights!” that scream “AI wrote this for me!” And in some cases, there are bots commenting on content written by other bots. Ugh.
We’ve turned one of the most powerful platforms for professional human connection into an AI echo chamber – and I’m confused about why humans are letting it happen.
Don’t get me wrong. I train companies to use AI tools like ChatGPT every day. I love what’s possible when the tech is used well. But what we’re seeing on LinkedIn right now isn’t smart AI use. We’re seeing humans outsourcing their voices to the machines.
As a result, we’re losing the very thing that made this platform powerful in the first place – real people, sharing real ideas, with real impact.
It’s not too late to turn this around. But first, we need to talk about the problem – and what we need to do about it.
Don’t ditch the AI – just don’t outsource your voice
Let me just say – I’m not anti-AI. But I am about helping individuals and teams use AI in a smart, ethical, human-first way. Especially for marketing purposes.
So no, this isn’t a rant about going back to the ‘good old days’ of writing every word yourself. As a human copywriter turned global AI coach, I totally get that AI is brilliant at sparking ideas, tidying messy drafts, and helping you get out of your own head.
The problem here is that too many people are handing over the microphone entirely. Instead of using AI as their glamorous assistant, they’re letting it run the whole show by posting AI-generated content and comments without any human influence. It’s a bit like letting a robot walk into a networking event with your name tag on… and hoping no one notices it’s not you.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but people are noticing.
I know AI promises speed, ease, and efficiency. It’s awesome that we now have the capacity to whip up a week’s worth of posts before that morning meeting. And we can auto-generate comments while working on more ‘meaningful’ tasks. It all feels very productive.
But productivity isn’t the same as impact. If your content doesn’t make someone pause, think, or feel something, then what’s the point? Just because it’s easy to post more, doesn’t mean you’re saying more. Empty words might tick a box, but they won’t build real life connections.
The more you rely on AI to do both the thinking and the talking, the more you strip away the parts that actually resonate with others: your voice, your values, your vulnerability. People don’t come to LinkedIn for perfectly polished paragraphs. They come for real ideas, real experience, and real people with something to say.
And that’s the stuff no AI can truly replicate – no matter how “advanced” it gets.
Leanne Shelton
How to sound human again
So, how do we fix this without throwing AI off the stage completely?
Start by taking back the lead role. Sure, AI can help with planning, drafting, even light editing – but the final ‘performance’ on LinkedIn needs to see you onstage.
If you’re using AI to draft a post, great. But before you hit publish, ask yourself: Does this sound like me? Have I added a perspective, a story, or even a simple “this has been on my mind lately” that makes it personal?
And if you’re using AI to comment on someone else’s content, please don’t make it an automated process. Actually read it first. Then offer something meaningful. Expand on their point. Share a related experience. Disagree respectfully. Be a human in the comments, not a visibility-seeking robot. (Yes, we see you. But not in a good way!)
Not sure if you’re commenting adequately? Ask yourself: Could this comment or post have come from literally anyone on the platform? If the answer’s yes, it’s a sign to slow down and say something that actually matters.
The goal on Linkedin is to connect. And the best way to do that is to show up sounding like you. Not an AI version of you. The real, messy, insightful, opinionated, curious, thoughtful version. That’s the one people want to hear from.
Let’s keep Linkedin human
On Linkedin, no one’s asking for perfection. Just something real, thoughtful, and worth reading. It’s key to remember that the real power of Linkedin lies in the value of what you share, not the volume.
AI can absolutely support you. It can speed things up, spark ideas, and polish your words. But it can’t replace your perspective, your experiences, or the unique way you connect with others.
So before you hit publish, take a moment. Add the human layer. Say something only you could say. Because when we all start to sound like robots, we lose the very thing that makes the platform worth showing up for.
Let’s not let Linkedin become another feed full of noise. Let’s keep it real, relevant – and unmistakably human.
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