Human First AI: Why the LinkedIn Algorithm is So Wonky at the Moment - And What to Do About It
"What's going on with the LinkedIn algorithm?" is the question in every marketing conversation. Your content used to work, but now it doesn't. Everyone is frustrated; no one understands why.
I recently did a LinkedIn Live session with Lynnaire Johnston discussing Human First AI within the context of LinkedIn, which helped me focus on this theme. Although we had some 'technical fun', we did uncover some key wider insights on Human First AI, and it made me think that this is the burning issue for marketing professionals right now.
You could say I am an early adopter of most things. I joined LinkedIn on August 16, 2004, a mere 18 months after it was launched. A pattern repeated a few times over the decades, most recently in November 2022, when I signed up for a new thing called ChatGPT. Back in 2004, LinkedIn updates were visible to your connections. Simple.
However, followers and engagement metrics began to mislead people into believing that posting great content and going viral were all that was needed to win clients. Don't get me wrong - posting great content matters as it's awareness and top-of-funnel activity.
However, many clients who are referred to me still believe that content alone is enough to convert prospects into paying clients. The truth is, the magic has always been in the connections and conversations that happen in LinkedIn Messenger and elsewhere afterwards - the relationships, not just the reach.
The Real Reason Behind the Wonkiness
This is what I think is happening: LinkedIn's algorithm isn't broken - it's desperately trying to cope with an AI content flood. That's why it's behaving in a very odd way indeed.
Platforms are inundated with generic, shallow content that users scroll past without genuine engagement. Ironically, this is fuelled by people using AI in a very lazy way, perhaps taken in by the myth that just posting will win clients, and by a massive army of bots. LinkedIn is constantly battling against automation. Every day, thousands of AI-generated posts flood LinkedIn feeds with professional-sounding but ultimately hollow content that feels... empty.
Steven Bartlett recently captured this perfectly: "My feed actually feels lonelier because I don't feel like I'm talking to humans anymore."
That's the crisis LinkedIn is trying to solve. In many ways, it's going back to its roots; as I have written about in other areas, AI is creating a lot of 'back-to-the-future' moments.
The Algorithmic Response to the AI Crisis
Platforms can't measure real human connection, but they can detect shallow engagement. So they're adjusting:
Moving toward meaningful interactions - Comments that spark conversations, not just emoji reactions. Content that keeps people reading, not just scrolling.
Prioritising authentic engagement - The algorithm is improving at distinguishing genuine responses from generic "Great post!" comments.
Watch time over impressions - As Steven noted, "The follower is dead. Algorithms have copied TikTok; they now care about watch time and engagement, not followers."
Why platforms are prioritising "realness" over reach - Because users are craving authenticity in a world flooded with AI-generated sameness.
The Connection Crisis
Steven Bartlett identified something crucial: "People are lonelier than ever. They don't want more content - they want more connection."
AI is making content production faster, cheaper, and easier. But it's also making feeds feel more generic and less human. Users are scrolling past AI-generated posts because they can sense that something is missing the human spark.
The result? People are craving authentic voices that speak WITH them, not AT them. They want to feel like they're in conversation with real humans who understand their challenges, not content machines optimised for engagement.
This marks, or perhaps accelerates, the death of broadcasting and the rise of relationship-building.
What This Means for Your Marketing Strategy
The shift is from impressions to impact. And here's the challenge: platforms can't measure real impact, so it takes strategic thinking and faith.
The old game: Create content, chase impressions and followers, measure reach, hope for conversion.
The new game: Create content for awareness, then build genuine relationships through authentic engagement and direct conversation.
Your LinkedIn strategy needs to account for this significant shift. Content gets you noticed; conversations get you clients.
Marketing WITH AI (Not AI with Marketing)
This is where my Human First AI philosophy becomes essential. Instead of using AI to replace human effort, use it to amplify human connection:
AI handles content production - Use AI tools to research, draft, and optimise your content creation process.
Humans handle connection - Spend the time you save on AI-assisted content creation to engage meaningfully with your audience.
Strategic framework for the new reality:
Create awareness content (AI can help here)
Identify engaged prospects (AI can help with data analysis)
Build relationships through authentic conversation (humans only)
Nurture through personalised communication (human insight, AI efficiency)
The competitive advantage goes to those who understand this division of labour.
Steven's Strategy Applied to Professional Services
Steven Bartlett's 2025 strategy is "Long, Live, IRL and Owned." Here's how this applies to the businesses I work with:
LONG - Share real insights, not surface-level tips, depth over polish. Spend twice as much time in the comments connecting with people who engage.
LIVE - Use LinkedIn Live to host webinars and create real-time interaction. The algorithm favours live content because it generates authentic engagement.
IRL - Meet people in person: coffee chats, industry events, speaking opportunities. Nothing beats face-to-face for building trust.
OWNED - Build your email list/Substack, etc, through LinkedIn connections. Move valuable relationships off the platform where you control the communication.
Why Most Marketers Will Get This Wrong
They'll keep chasing vanity metrics while the game has fundamentally changed.
The mistake: Using AI to produce more content, faster, hoping volume will overcome algorithm changes.
The reality is that more generic content adds to the problem LinkedIn is trying to solve.
The solution: Use AI strategically to create more effective awareness content, then invest the saved time in building genuine relationships.
The Strategic Advantage
Those who understand that relationship-building trumps broadcasting will dominate. While competitors flood LinkedIn with AI-generated content, you'll be building authentic connections that convert into genuine business opportunities.
The algorithm changes aren't working against good marketers - they're working against lazy marketers who think content volume equals business results.
Three Practical Changes You Need to Make Now
1. Audit Your Content-to-Connection Ratio. For every piece of content you post, spend equal time engaging authentically with people who respond. Turn your content into conversation starters, not just broadcasts.
2. Develop Your "Human Signal" Strategy. Include personal experiences, specific examples, and authentic insights that AI couldn't generate. Make it obvious a real human wrote your content.
3. Build Your "Off-Platform" Pipeline Use LinkedIn content to identify engaged prospects, then move valuable conversations to membership communities, email, Substacks, calls, or in-person meetings where you control the relationship.
The Clarity Advantage
This is precisely why strategic clarity becomes so valuable in a platform-dependent world. Understanding how to build genuine relationships whilst leveraging AI efficiently isn't just marketing advice - it's competitive strategy.
The businesses that thrive will be those that can create authentic connections in an increasingly automated world.
This is the third article in my 'Human First AI' series, exploring how to leverage AI while amplifying what makes us distinctly human. Previous articles examined why brands with good taste will dominate the AI era and the fundamental skill set shifts needed to future-proof your career. Be sure to subscribe to this newsletter so you don't miss the next instalment.
AI is terrifying and exciting at the same time" That's how most business leaders feel right now. Seventy-four per cent believe AI could help them grow, most businesses are dabbling with AI, yet only 15% have successfully adopted it. After helping dozens navigate AI adoption since 2022, I've learned that strategic clarity beats technical complexity. The Intentional Clarity Reset - AI Stratgey I run helps business owners cut through the noise and develop a Roadmap for making you and your team into 'Super Humans', coupling the best of AI capabilities and human advantage.
I wrote this article using Claude as my thinking partner. I use a complex prompt that helps me write each piece, including numerous tough questions and a 5-step process. DM me, and I'll send you the PDF with more information. If you book The Intentional Clarity Reset with me, I'll also provide you with a copy.
