LinkedIn is becoming a top source for AI chatbots

Zoom in: Since November, LinkedIn's citation frequency has doubled and it is now the No. 1 domain cited in professional search queries.

• LinkedIn posts, long-form articles and newsletters account for 35% of all LinkedIn citations within ChatGPT, while profiles are cited 14.5% of the time, according to Profound.

Zoom out: Community and creator-driven platforms like Reddit, Wikipedia and YouTube have all emerged as some of the most cited sources in AI responses precisely because they host real, conversational human insights that models latch onto when answering nuanced queries.

• Because what's said in Reddit threads increasingly shows up in chatbot responses, brands that were once wary of the platform have ramped up their presence to manage reputation, correct misinformation and shape the narrative.

What they're saying: "Professional visibility is changing. It is no longer only about how people present themselves to other people. It is increasingly about how machines interpret them first," says Erin Lanuti, co-founder of LinkedIn intelligence platform Lilypath.

• "If AI systems are using LinkedIn as a core source for professional authority, profile clarity becomes foundational to whether someone is surfaced, trusted or overlooked," she added.

Yes, but: Generative AI search tools can only surface publicly available LinkedIn content, according to the company.

• "We continue to protect member data from unauthorized scraping and only content [users] have chosen to make public on LinkedIn can appear in these results," a spokesperson told Axios.

The bottom line: In the age of AI and generative engine optimization (GEO), every executive, brand and company can grow their reach and credibility by engaging thoughtfully on LinkedIn.

More on Axios:

• Brands turn to Reddit as AI makes it impossible to ignore