Your LinkedIn Profile Is Training AI: Here’s How to Take Back Control
In the digital age, your professional identity is one of your most valuable assets. You’ve likely spent years carefully curating your LinkedIn profile, sharing insights, and building a network. But did you know that your content—from profile details to posts and even private messages—may be used to train LinkedIn’s artificial intelligence models?
While AI can power helpful features, many professionals are rightfully concerned about how their data is being used without their explicit, ongoing consent. Fortunately, you can take steps to opt out and reclaim control over your digital footprint. This guide will walk you through the exact settings you need to change to protect your information.
What Data Is LinkedIn Using for AI?
LinkedIn has updated its policies to allow the use of both public and non-public user data to develop and train its AI, including generative AI models. This can encompass a vast range of your activity on the platform.
- Public Content: This includes your profile information, articles you’ve written, posts you’ve shared, and comments you’ve made. Your unique expertise and writing style could be absorbed into these models.
- Non-Public Content: This is a key area of concern. According to LinkedIn’s settings, this can include data from your private messages and interactions with other members.
The most visible application of this technology is in LinkedIn’s AI-powered “collaborative articles,” where AI generates initial content that is then supplemented by expert commentary. By default, your data may be contributing to these and other AI features.
Why You Should Consider Opting Out
Controlling your data is not about being anti-technology; it’s about maintaining your digital autonomy and privacy. Here are a few compelling reasons to review these settings:
- Protect Your Personal Brand: Your professional voice, insights, and expertise are your own. Opting out ensures your unique contributions aren’t used to generate content for a platform without your permission.
- Maintain Data Privacy: You should have the final say in how your personal and professional information is utilized, especially when it involves sensitive or private communications.
- Prevent Unintended Consequences: AI models learn from the data they are fed. Limiting the use of your personal data is a proactive step toward ensuring it isn’t used in ways you wouldn’t approve of in the future.
How to Opt Out of LinkedIn’s AI Data Training
You can prevent LinkedIn from using your content for AI model training by adjusting two key settings within your account. Follow these steps carefully.
Setting 1: Opt Out of General AI Model Training
This is the most important setting to change. It prevents LinkedIn from using your content, including non-public data, for training its AI models.
- Log in to your LinkedIn account on a desktop browser.
- Click on your profile icon (the “Me” button) in the top right corner and select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown menu.
- In the left-hand navigation bar, click on Data Privacy.
- Scroll down to the section titled “Generative AI and other models.”
- Click on the setting named Use your data to train and develop AI models.
- You will see a toggle switch. Click the toggle to change the setting from “Yes” to “No.” The change saves automatically.
Setting 2: Opt Out of AI-Assisted Messaging and Profile Features
This setting controls whether AI can access your data to help you draft messages or enhance your profile.
- While still in the Data Privacy section, find the setting named AI creation tools for your profile and messages.
- Click on this option.
- Here, you will find another toggle switch. Click the toggle to change the setting from “Yes” to “No.”
By adjusting both of these settings to “No,” you send a clear signal that you do not consent to your data being used for these AI-related purposes.
Take a Proactive Stance on Your Digital Privacy
While you are in your privacy settings, it’s a great opportunity to conduct a broader privacy checkup. Review who can see your profile, your email address, and your connections list. Managing your data is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, being an informed and proactive user is crucial. Taking a few minutes to review and update your LinkedIn settings is a small but powerful investment in protecting your professional identity and ensuring your data is used on your terms.
Source: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/09/18/linkedin-ai-data-privacy-policy/
