LinkedIn will soon train AI models with your data unless you take action

Your name, photo, current position, previous work experience and whatever else you put on your LinkedIn profile will soon be used by LinkedIn to train AI models. Those who don't want that should opt out.

New terms of use

LinkedIn will soon be training AI models with data from European users, the company announced in new terms of use posted on November 3 take effect. LinkedIn provides a ‘legitimate interest’ basis for processing user data for this purpose. This includes information that is publicly visible, such as posts and profile data. Private conversations and job application data are excluded.

What does LinkedIn use AI for?

LinkedIn uses AI models to provide automatic suggestions for profile text or help with writing updates, for example. These AI models require huge amounts of text to learn to write better and generate responses. LinkedIn says the help of these models can increase user visibility and should improve interactions between companies and job seekers.

Why is this a sensitive issue?

LinkedIn is not alone in this development. Previously, we saw the same thing happening at Meta; using your data to train AI models, unless you take action yourself. Even then there was a fuss about this issue. This topic is sensitive for several reasons:

• The information you share may remain part of AI systems for a long time, this causes you to lose control over who has access to your data and what it is used for.
• There is debate whether this is allowed under the European Privacy Act (AVG). Because as a user you automatically give consent and LinkedIn does not proactively ask for consent.
• Privacy organizations and regulators are critical because, as a user, you have little control over what happens to your data.

Don't want your data to end up in AI models? Take action

If you don't want LinkedIn to use your data to train AI models, you need to take proactive action. You can do this by turning off the toggle ‘Use my data for training AI models that create content’ in your settings. Take action before you lose control of your data.