LinkedIn's new AI people search unlocks the power of its network

"Last June, LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky took on a second job. Microsoft, the social network for business professionals' owner since 2016, expanded his responsibilities to include Microsoft 365-the suite still better known by its former name, Microsoft Office-and its Copilot AI assistant. The role charges him with making AI useful in a productivity context, a goal that's still very much a work in progress."

""Trusted, contextual, expert-driven knowledge-the type of stuff that comes from having a lived experience or doing a specific job or having a deep insight or knowing people that have actually done the job-in my view, that's becoming much more valuable, not less," he says. "I think the question moving forward from professionals isn't just going to be something like, 'What's the answer?', but 'Who can I trust to guide me?' And that's where we come in.""

Ryan Roslansky assumed responsibility for Microsoft 365 and Copilot while continuing to lead LinkedIn. LinkedIn's billion-plus members create a network effect of unique connections, learnings, and willingness to help that large language models cannot replicate into useful, trustable guidance. Trusted, contextual, expert-driven knowledge derived from lived experience and job-specific insight is increasing in value relative to commodified information. Professionals will place greater importance on whom they can trust to guide them rather than on simple answers. Historical keyword-based people search limited discovery beyond immediate contacts. LinkedIn is introducing a new feature to improve finding expertise across extended networks.

Read at Fast Company