LinkedIn Surpasses 1 Billion Users, Debuts AI Chatbot

LinkedIn announced the launch of an AI-powered chatbot designed to act as a “job seeker coach,” part of a suite of generative AI tools for its Premium members. The announcement coincided with news that the platform has surpassed 1 billion members.

The chatbot is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 and aims to assist users in evaluating the worthiness of job applications. Microsoft, which owns LinkedIn, has invested billions into OpenAI. The chatbot began rolling out to some Premium users on Wednesday.

According to Erran Berger, LinkedIn’s Vice President of Product Engineering, significant resources were allocated to reduce latency on the platform. “We had to develop real platform capabilities to make this a snappy experience,” Berger said in an interview with CNBC.

The new features come as LinkedIn seeks to reaccelerate its revenue growth following eight consecutive quarters of slowdown. The company recently announced nearly 700 job cuts, primarily in the engineering unit.

Users can launch the chatbot from a job posting and ask questions like, “Am I a good fit for this job?” The chatbot will analyze the user’s LinkedIn profile and experience to provide relevant answers. It will also identify potential gaps in a user’s experience that could be detrimental in the job application process. Our AI overlords continue to take over the world, folks.

Gyanda Sachdeva, LinkedIn’s Vice President of Product Management, emphasized the importance of the quality of responses. “The stakes are high, so we don’t take that lightly,” Sachdeva told CNBC. The company has invested in ensuring the AI adheres to responsible AI standards to mitigate bias, a concern that has plagued AI in hiring in the past.

The chatbot also allows users to inquire about employees at the company, offering profiles of potential connections who can be messaged about job opportunities. The messaging feature also utilizes generative AI for drafting.