What happened

AI-generated profiles, including one named Ella, appeared on LinkedIn claiming to outperform human social media teams and featuring #OpenToWork badges, misleading users of the platform about their authenticity. 

LinkedIn removed the accounts after they had been reported by users, emphasising that the creation of fake accounts violates its terms of service.

The incident sparked discussions about the ethical implications of AI-generated profiles in professional networking environments, particularly regarding user trust and platform integrity.

Why it happened

Marketeam developed the profiles as part of a marketing campaign to showcase the capabilities of its AI agents, which are supposed to integrate AI into marketing operations. 

However, the opacity of their approach led to a breach of LinkedIn's policies, which are designed to ensure that interactions on the platform are genuine and transparent.