LinkedIn collecting ‘Data for Generative AI Improvement’

Just thought you would like to know

We all know that ‘Social Media’ puts our personal data out there for observation and study by the platforms. For an AI guy (such as myself) to point out where your data is being collected and used to better train the tools of social platforms (like LinkedIn) can maybe feel in-genuine, it comes from a place of public acknowledgement being the right course of action for all parties.

It is a public forum. I post publicly. There is nothing to hide in the POSTING, LIKING, COMMENTING, or SHARING. But is all my exploration open for study? What if you are an employee — and your job search is being observed. What if you were being watched — and simply didn’t know?

Well, if you are on LinkedIn right now, you are — and — your data is training their GenAI to improve it. While I do not have a problem with it, there is a tinge of concern over it being done without first disclosing the practice or asking permission.

Here is how to check your account (and control it for yourself).

1 ? Click on your profile picture in the Navigation section

Click where it says ‘Me’. This will open the dropdown you see below.

2 ? Under Account — click on ‘Settings & Privacy’

Here, you are going to click on the left on the Settings ‘Data Privacy.’

3 ? “Data for Generative AI Improvement”

Under “How LinkedIn uses your data, a tab was added to the bottom called — “Data for Generative AI Improvement” — click on this.

4 ? The option is now yours

It was turned on by default. As it states:

Data for Generative AI Improvement

This setting controls the training of generative AI models used to create content. When this setting is on LinkedIn and its affiliates may use your personal data and content you create on LinkedIn for that purpose. The Learn more takes you to this:

Control whether LinkedIn uses your data to train generative AI models that are used for content creation on LinkedIn

LinkedIn deploys generative artificial intelligence (AI) models for a variety of purposes. For example, LinkedIn’s AI-powered writing assistant enables message drafting using generative AI functionalities.

In cases where LinkedIn or its affiliates train or fine-tune generative AI models used to create content, including content that may be distributed or made available on LinkedIn’s platform, members can use this setting to control whether their data (such as profile data or content in posts) may be used to train or fine-tune such models.

Please note:

This setting applies to training and fine-tuning generative AI models that are used to generate content (e.g., suggested posts or messages) and does not apply to LinkedIn’s or its affiliates’ development of AI models used for other purposes, such as models used to personalize your LinkedIn experience or models used for security, trust, or anti-abuse purposes.

If you have opted-out, you may still use generative AI features on the LinkedIn platform but your personal data will not be used to train or fine-tune those models. In other words, this setting does not control the use of your data during the use of a generative AI feature and your data may still be used as an input for AI-powered features made available on LinkedIn. For example, when you have a conversation with a chat feature, it may use your data to generate answers to your questions.

This setting applies specifically to content creating generative AI model training and development conducted by LinkedIn and its affiliates.

Please visit LinkedIn and Generative AI (GAI) FAQs to learn more about LinkedIn’s use of generative AI.

There… I feel better, because now you know.

But, there is more… LinkedIn offers a form called the LinkedIn Data Processing Objection Form and it is for those who “would like to object to or request the restriction of processing of personal data.” In other words, this form is for opting-out of using your personal data for “non-content generating GAI models.”

I am leaving the option on. Hopefully their insights gleaned from my activity will serve to produce better experiences for the other users out there. But at the same time, I want others to know — and have the opportunity to express their opinion on the matter. For those who might say — “But Brian, when the platform is FREE, you are the product.” But in this case — I pay for a pro account in LinkedIn — to try and help MORE people. So the product is LinkedIn…

I would love to hear your take on this — and whether you leave it ON or turn it OFF.

Brian Sykes