Does AI Kill "Real" Networking? Opportunities and Risks of AI-Assisted Self-Presentation on Professional Online Networks

Abstract

LinkedIn is the largest social networking platform in the world for job seeking, recruitment, and presenting a professional identity online. As AI-assisted writing tools become increasingly embedded in how professionals write and post on LinkedIn, they raise important questions about the presentation and authenticity of online identity in the context of professional networking. This study examines how LinkedIn users perceive the opportunities and risks of leveraging AI-assisted writing tools for text-based professional self-presentation (e.g., writing posts, comments, and outreach messages to present themselves on LinkedIn). Based on a thematic analysis of 534 Reddit posts and comments and 6 practitioner articles, our findings reveal three ways AI-assisted writing reshapes text-based professional self-presentation on LinkedIn: redistributing the labor of writing, expanding access through more polished text, and standardizing written communication in ways that erode genuine human voice and expertise. These insights may inform future research on AI’s impacts on professional online self-presentation, helping design future AI writing tools that support efficient yet authentic professional online networking.