LinkedIn AI Search: Find People Faster | New Feature

LinkedIn Integrates AI into its People Search Functionality

Over the past two years, LinkedIn has been actively incorporating AI across various aspects of its platform. This includes enhancements to advertising copy generation, content creation tools, personalized news summaries, recruitment support, career guidance, and professional learning resources.

The company is now extending AI capabilities to a core function of the site: its search feature.

New Natural Language Search Capabilities

Earlier this year, LinkedIn launched an AI-driven job search tool for users in the United States, enabling them to utilize natural language queries to identify potential employment opportunities. This functionality is now being broadened to encompass people search.

Users can now employ queries such as “Locate investors within the healthcare industry possessing FDA expertise,” individuals who “established a productivity-focused company and are located in New York City,” or “Identify contacts within my network who can provide insights into wireless network technologies.”

From Complex Filters to Intuitive Queries

Previously, LinkedIn’s search process could be cumbersome. Users often had to input specific keywords or navigate a multitude of filters to achieve desired results. Consideration also had to be given to the optimal terminology for maximizing search effectiveness.

“Traditional, lexical search requires precise knowledge of job titles or extensive filter manipulation to pinpoint the right individual. If the correct combination wasn't utilized, valuable connections could remain undiscovered. The new AI-powered people search is engineered to be the most efficient route to connecting with those who can offer the greatest assistance,” explained Rohan Rajiv, Senior Director of Product Management at LinkedIn, in a conversation with TechCrunch.

Initial testing has demonstrated that users are leveraging this feature to identify individuals who can aid in their job search, facilitate business expansion, or advance their career trajectories.

The Broader Trend of AI-Powered Search

The integration of AI into search functionality is a widespread trend across the internet. The popularity of conversational AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity has prompted established search engines – including Google, Bing, Brave, and DuckDuckGo – to introduce AI-driven answer systems.

Numerous startups are also actively developing AI-powered people search solutions. Reddit has also taken steps to protect its data, requiring licensing agreements for AI training and usage.

LinkedIn has frequently been utilized in demonstrations of AI agents, browsers, and assistants. However, the company, owned by Microsoft, has not yet implemented restrictions on data access.

“We are still in the nascent stages of browser development and how they operate on behalf of users. Over time, we anticipate establishing a more robust policy regarding browser access,” Rajiv stated.

“More broadly, I’ve observed numerous demos attempting to analyze a person’s LinkedIn network. This is an area where replicating the genuine connection will be challenging, as the current search capabilities are unparalleled.”

Rollout and Initial Observations

LinkedIn is currently deploying the AI-powered people search to premium subscribers in the United States, with plans for broader geographic expansion in the coming months. Users with access to this feature will notice a change in the search bar prompt from “Search” to “I’m looking for…”

The search functionality is still under development. Variations in results may occur depending on the phrasing of the query; for example, searching for “people who co-founded a YC startup” yields different outcomes than using “Y Combinator.” Furthermore, individuals with a LinkedIn Top Voice badge sometimes appear when searching for “people who co-founded a voice AI startup.”

The company confirms that ongoing efforts are focused on refining the search tool’s ability to accurately interpret user queries.