Effective November 3, 2025, LinkedIn has an AI model data feature that is defaulted to “On.” This setting allows the platform to use your personal profile data to train its AI models. If you’re okay with that, keep it turned on. If you’re not, follow these instructions for turning it “Off.”
Keep in mind that LinkedIn also has an affiliate relationship with Microsoft, which collects data from LinkedIn.
What it tracks.
If you do not opt out, LinkedIn may use data to track usage, such as:
- Your profile information.
- Public content you share, such as posts, articles, etc.
- Job application information, and
- Group activity, contributions, and feedback you provide.
How to Opt-Out
If you do not want LinkedIn to use your profile data to train its data models, follow these steps.
- Log in to LinkedIn and click on your profile image. Choose Settings & Privacy.
- From the left menu, choose “Data Privacy.”
- Go to “Data for Generative AI Improvement.” This setting determines whether LinkedIn (and possibly its affiliates) can use your data and content to train generative AI models. Thus, permitting them to use your stuff.
- Toggle the option “Use my data for training content-creation AI models” OFF. That prevents future use of your data for that purpose.
What this means for you.
- Your Data is Used by Default: Unless you explicitly opt out, your data is used to build and improve AI tools that generate content, such as suggested posts, messages, and profile summaries for you and other users.
- Data Included in Training: The data used can be extensive and includes details from your profile (name, photo, work experience, skills, location), public posts, articles, comments, and uploaded resumes.
- Excluded Data: Private messages (InMail), login credentials, payment information, and specific, individually tied salary or job application data are explicitly excluded from this specific type of AI training.
- Opting Out is Possible but Not Retroactive: You can turn this setting off, but doing so only prevents future data from being used for training new content-generating AI models. Any data already collected and incorporated into AI models before you opt out cannot be removed from those existing models.
- Improved (or Concerning) Features: The goal of using this data is to enhance LinkedIn’s AI-driven features, which may make the platform more efficient for job searching and content creation. However, it raises privacy concerns for users who prefer to keep their professional information and content private or do not want it contributing to commercial AI development.
- Feedback Still Used: Even if you opt out, any feedback you provide about the AI features (e.g., “thumbs up/down” ratings) can still be used to train the models.
6 Business Impacts
As a business owner or marketer, if you’re using LinkedIn in your marketing mix, here’s how this data policy change could impact your business.
- Reputation and trust: If you’re using LinkedIn to post for clients or for yourself, be mindful that content, posts, resumes, etc., might get used by LinkedIn’s AI. Transparent communication might be needed if you’re gathering or promoting content with your clients’ teams.
- Content sourcing: The pool of content that can fuel LinkedIn’s AI models is expanding. That means businesses may see the effects of that in feed algorithms, content generation suggestions, etc. You may need to consider how your content strategy adapts.
- Privacy & data usage: If your business collects LinkedIn data (for example, for recruiting, talent pipelines, or data-driven marketing), you’ll want to review whether any of that data is now available to LinkedIn and what settings your organization or employees should set.
- Operational settings: Ensure your company’s LinkedIn account(s) and internal policies reflect whether you’re opted in or out of this data use. It may impact how you position your data governance or your clients’ disclosures.
- Content quality and originality: With more content feeding into generative models, the baseline for originality and value may shift. You’ll want to emphasize high-quality thought leadership rather than content that could be undifferentiated or easily replicable.
- Advertising: If you leverage LinkedIn in your marketing ad mix, people who opt out of the AI generative data collection tools will impact your ability to reach them. According to LinkedIn, opting out of data sharing means you will no longer receive personalized ads; however, you will still see ads. Ad campaign data will also be impacted because LinkedIn uses member data to measure ad success. But if a member chooses not to share that data, your numbers could be skewed.
6 Business Actions
Here’s a checklist to prepare your staff and your business for this change.
- Review account settings.
- Go into LinkedIn’s Settings → Data Privacy → “Data for Generative AI Improvement” and decide whether your organization will opt out or remain opted in.
- For any employee or company accounts that manage the brand, ensure they’re aware of the setting and what decision was made.
- Update your privacy/data-governance policy.
- If you or clients use LinkedIn data (profiles, posts, comments) in marketing or recruitment, document how it fits into your data-governance framework.
- Ensure you have informed consent (if relevant) and transparency for how you’ll use employee/public data.
- Audit the content you create and publish.
- Make sure your content is clearly branded and adds unique value, not just generic posts.
- Since LinkedIn’s AI may use content as training, consider the competitive implications: your best insights should stay proprietary or behind differentiated channels if you want to maintain an edge.
- Consider messaging your clients that you will be investing more in original, high-value content vs generic updates.
- Communicate with your team/clients.
- If you handle LinkedIn for clients, brief them on the change, what it means for data, and how you recommend responding.
- Guide whether to opt out, and the implications, including that opting out won’t impact past data already used.
- If employees are posting on LinkedIn, include a short internal memo about your stance on LinkedIn’s AI-data training change so they align with brand behavior.
- Monitor algorithm/feature changes.
- Because LinkedIn is training more AI, there may be new LinkedIn-native AI features (content suggestions, generative-post capabilities, improved targeting) that affect how we should use the platform.
- Keep an eye on LinkedIn’s product updates and how user behavior shifts, e.g., are people leveraging AI-generated posts more, and is the feed mix changing?
- Adjust your campaign strategy accordingly — e.g., a rise in polished AI-generated content may mean you need stronger human-touch differentiation.
- Evaluate risk and decide your stance.
- Some risks include that data may be used in ways you don’t control, which could affect perceptions.
- Some benefits include being part of the AI ecosystem that might unlock features or visibility.
- For clients in highly regulated sectors (accounting, legal, associations), you might lean toward caution and stricter controls.
- Document your decision.
Not Just a Tech Tweak
LinkedIn’s AI update isn’t just a tech tweak. It represents a shift in how professional data may be used moving forward. Whether your organization chooses to stay opted in or turn the setting off, the key is being intentional. Review your settings, talk with your team, and update your processes so they reflect your comfort level with data use and privacy.
Staying informed and proactive helps you protect your brand, your content, and your audience.
Want help reviewing your LinkedIn settings or updating your social media policies? Reach out and let’s make sure your business stays compliant.