Study Finds Nearly 50% Of LinkedIn Content Is AI-Generated, Revealing A Larger Problem

As someone who recently abandoned my own (modest but growing) LinkedIn account because of the near-total “ensh*ttification” of content quality, I was not surprised when I read about a new study by AI detection firm Pangram Labs, shared on Tech Radar. AI experts found:

“Nearly half of all long posts (over 250 words) on LinkedIn were created entirely by AI, with the likes of Substack and X/Twitter also seeing a huge rise in such content.”

Any regular reader or contributor to social media is not surprised by the study’s findings, as the uptick in AI-generated content has been aggressively noticeable. Not simply in the repetitive cadence or controversial em-dash, but seen in the repeated ideas and content topics. The same problems are highlighted, and the same solutions are offered. So LinkedIn posts no longer offer unique perspectives or a clear point of view.

The Slop Problem Isn’t AI-Generated Content

I used to deeply enjoy LinkedIn for its well-written content by market-leading professionals. As a marketer, reading the LinkedIn feed was an easy way to stay on top of the latest industry trends and market moves. It was also an excellent platform for making a strong impression with your subject-matter expertise to attract target decision-makers and partners. 

Even before AI content generation, there was a lot of formulaic content and plagiarism on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. However, there were also enough quality posts (and satire) to make it tolerable for the readers. However, the balance has shifted, and the vast majority of posts now have little to offer in the way of reader value.

Formulaic content, whether human or AI-generated, is always terrible to read, but it also always speaks to a key marketing problem:

The brand has no defined market positioning.

No one turns to AI or generic, formulaic posts when they have something to say. Professionals are turning to slop because they opened their content calendar and ran out of ideas. You don’t run out of ideas when you have a clearly defined market position.

Why A Lack Of Positioning Leads To Formulaic Content

A market position is the specific place you want your company to hold in a buyer’s mind. Your market position is:

• Who are your primary customers

• What problem do you solve for those customers

• Why is your approach different or better 

When you have a clear market position, you can easily make consistent, valuable content without ever reaching for a formula. When you clearly define your market position, you also define:

• The audiences you want to reach with your content

• The issues that matter most to those audiences

• The content ideas that support your point of view

• The topics that reinforce how you differ from competitors

• The proof, examples, and customer stories that support your claims

When you know exactly what you need to talk about, you not only produce higher-quality content, but your content will also start attracting high-quality leads. Without a clear lack of positioning, formulaic AI content becomes a go-to.

Avoid Content Slop By Defining Your Market Position

When I work with brands on their messaging frameworks, I start with a simple exercise to define their market position. We play a quick game of Mad Libs to build a market positioning statement:

We help ____(Target Audience)___ solve/meet  ___(Problem/Need)___ by providing ___(Offer)____ with ____(Key Difference)___ , so they can ____(Result)___ .

Fill in the blanks with as much specificity as possible. For example, rather than your target audience being “healthcare providers,” be specific with “gastroenterologists at ambulatory care centers.” Rather than your offer being “commercial investments,” be specific with “reposition underperforming retail centers.” Specificity in your market position will make all of your marketing, including your LinkedIn content, more effective.

Build Your Content From Your Market Position

Once you have your Mad Libs filled, you can then start building out your content by following a formula that will actually make great content:

• Target Audience = The people reading your content

• Problem/Need = Your content category

• Offer = Ideas for what content to create

• Key Difference = Your content’s point of view

• Result = The value readers get from the content

With a strong market position driving your content, you’ll always create content that engages your buyers and drives business. 

Strong Positioning Makes Content Worth Reading

Like it or hate it, AI copy itself is not the core issue. In fact, in certain markets, buyers prioritize those who demonstrate AI competency in their content. The issue is that, regardless of who wrote your content, if it fails to reinforce your market position by offering value to your readers, it can damage your brand. 

Borrowed Pen can help you define a clear market position, turn that position into relevant content ideas, and map those ideas to each stage of the buyer’s journey. We make sure your content reflects your market position and gives buyers a reason to trust you. Our content writers can also bring a more human voice to your LinkedIn thought leadership through stronger opinions, sharper editorial judgment, and a consistent executive perspective.

Book a call with Borrowed Pen to build a clearer position and turn it into content people actually want to read.