LinkedIn Quietly Opts Users Into Generative AI Training

If you’ve got a LinkedIn profile, it’s possible your data is already helping to train generative AI models—without you even knowing. In a recent discovery by 404Media, it was revealed that LinkedIn quietly updated its privacy policy, opting users into this practice without explicit consent.

As of the update, LinkedIn can now use your information to train its AI.” The platform claims it aims to make its services more “relevant and useful” with these AI-powered tools. Examples include generative AI writing assistants and personalized features, according to the company.

The kicker? LinkedIn didn’t send out a massive heads-up about these changes. Instead, it slipped the update into its privacy policy and introduced a new setting that allows users to opt-out—if they find it. You’ll need to head to your account’s Data Privacy tab, locate “Data for Generative AI Improvement,” and turn that setting off.
This sneaky move has raised eyebrows in the tech world, with TechCrunch pointing out that the updated policy, which mentions using AI to improve services, followed the launch of these new privacy settings. For those concerned about how their professional data is being used, the opt-out process, while simple, requires users to take proactive steps—something many might miss.

Whether you’re okay with your data being used to help LinkedIn refine its AI tools, or you’d rather not have your job history, skills, and endorsements fed into machine learning models, the choice is yours. But, as with many things in the digital age, it’s a choice you have to dig a little to find. So, if you’re on LinkedIn and feeling uneasy, now might be a good time to check your privacy settings.