AI-generated content has moved from a fringe experiment to a mainstream tool. Professionals now routinely use AI to generate posts, draft summaries, and polish messages. These tools offer clear benefits. They help users sound articulate, save time, and support the broader goals of personal branding. For busy professionals, this automation is more than convenience; it’s a way to stay consistently active in competitive online spaces.
However, as AI continues to expand its influence, its presence is starting to shape the smaller moments of communication. These short, often spontaneous remarks used to reflect genuine reactions. They were raw, sometimes clumsy, but recognizably human.
That’s changing. Increasingly, we’re seeing comments that are structurally sound but emotionally distant. They sound like mini press releases. Instead of creating conversation, they signal approval without depth.
This article is not a critique of the tools themselves. AI has its place. But when even our briefest engagements are filtered through algorithms, we risk losing the authenticity on LinkedIn that makes professional communities meaningful. What’s needed now is a return to intention and voice.
"Not every comment needs to be profound. It just needs to be honest."
Comments Are Conversations, Not Performance Pieces
At its core, authenticity on LinkedIn thrives in unscripted, human moments. Comments were never meant to be polished content. They are fragments of conversation, spontaneous reactions, and the place where professional dialogue lives outside the spotlight of a headline or main post. A comment doesn’t need to be long to be valuable. It needs to be real.
Increasingly, though, we are seeing comments that feel less like engagement and more like promotional copy. Structured replies full of formal language and buzzwords are becoming common, often generated with the help of AI. These replies might check all the technical boxes but they rarely add substance. Instead, they feel rehearsed, detached from the emotion or opinion that should be driving the response.
Take, for example, the increasingly familiar tone of comments like:
“Fantastic insights, Leigh. Your strategic breakdown of emerging trends is truly inspirational.”
On the surface, it’s positive. But it says nothing. It doesn’t build, question, or contribute. It simply exists, often with the goal of visibility rather than dialogue. This is where LinkedIn engagement loses meaning.
By prioritising performance over presence, we risk turning comment sections into echo chambers. The opportunity to offer a new angle, share an anecdote, or even express disagreement gets buried under polished pleasantries. The ability to express a genuine, imperfect opinion is more valuable than ever.
We don’t need every comment to be profound. We just need it to be honest. When professionals feel comfortable sharing without posturing, they create an environment where LinkedIn engagement actually leads to learning, connection, and growth. And that’s the kind of engagement that builds real networks.
The Allure (and Risk) of AI-Generated Content on LinkedIn
To understand the growing reliance on AI-generated content in comment sections, we first need to consider the context in which professionals now operate. Most are navigating a fast-paced, highly visible online environment. On platforms where LinkedIn engagement often correlates with career opportunities, staying active is expected. The pressure to post, respond, and stay present has become a part of modern personal branding.
In this environment, AI tools offer an appealing shortcut. They promise speed, clarity, and consistency. For someone who wants to show up across multiple threads and posts, these tools deliver. You can craft polished replies in seconds. You can sound thoughtful without overthinking. You can participate at scale without burning out.
And metrics seem to reward this behaviour. More comments, even if generic, can drive impressions and visibility. The system appears to value quantity, and AI conveniently supports that goal. As a result, AI-generated content starts to feel like a necessary part of maintaining relevance on LinkedIn.
But the downside is often overlooked. When replies are overly refined and stripped of individuality, they begin to lose meaning. They don’t sound human. They don’t reflect the messy, sometimes contradictory thoughts that real engagement requires. Instead, they repeat safe affirmations, generic praise, neutral nods.
For the person who authored the post, or for other readers scanning the thread, this creates a feeling of surface-level interaction. There’s no conversation, just noise. Comments begin to merge into a blur, and the opportunity to spark connection fades.
Authenticity on LinkedIn should not be sacrificed for efficiency. When professionals default to automation, they trade presence for polish. The real risk is losing the trust and credibility that true engagement builds.
Let’s Not Lose the Plot on LinkedIn Engagement
Let’s start by acknowledging something important: LinkedIn engagement is valuable. When someone takes the time to react to a post or leave a comment, it signals attention, appreciation, and in many cases, solidarity. For those who share content, those small interactions can carry outsized emotional weight. They provide affirmation that their voice matters in a crowded space.
So yes, thank you. Sincerely. Gratitude is the right starting point.
But even gratitude has its boundaries, particularly when replies begin to feel more automated than authentic. The rise of AI-generated content in comment sections has made it harder to distinguish real support from formulaic feedback. Comments that follow the same predictable structure may check the engagement box, but they don’t contribute to conversation or community.
True authenticity on LinkedIn doesn’t come from polished language. It comes from vulnerability, opinion, and even the occasional challenge. The best comments aren’t always tidy. They’re often a bit messy, a bit bold. They might contain dissent, or hesitation, or a story that adds depth to the topic.
These are not just reactions for the sake of visibility. They are real contributions that help build professional dialogue.
When the goal becomes saying the “right thing” rather than the real thing, we reduce LinkedIn to a transactional platform. We treat engagement as a metric, not a moment of connection. And while that might generate impressions, it rarely generates impact.
If we want LinkedIn to remain a space for learning, reflection, and professional growth, then we need to move beyond the templated responses. Supporting others should feel personal, not procedural.
A Better Norm: Embracing the Messiness of Human Replies
So, what’s the better way forward in an era of increasing automation and polished replies? It starts with redefining the expectations around LinkedIn engagement. The alternative isn’t to reject technology or dismiss the usefulness of AI-generated content. Tools have a place. But we must be careful not to let automation set the tone for every interaction.
Not every comment needs to be professionally worded or grammatically perfect. In fact, the comments that often leave the strongest impression are the ones that feel spontaneous, human, and sometimes even unfinished. These replies are where real authenticity on LinkedIn is found.
A better norm welcomes small imperfections. A few typos or clumsy phrasing shouldn’t be a source of hesitation. If the thought is genuine and the intent is clear, it adds value. The goal isn’t to impress; it’s to engage. That means speaking from experience, asking honest questions, and responding with curiosity rather than caution.
It also means being willing to disagree, respectfully. Disagreement, when delivered thoughtfully, shows care. It shows that someone read closely, considered your perspective, and cared enough to respond honestly. These are signs of active participation, not conflict.
What we need more of is voice. Actual voice. The kind that reflects who a person is, not how they want to be perceived. The irony is, these kinds of comments often do serve your personal branding, because they show you’re someone who contributes meaningfully, not mechanically.
There’s no algorithm grading your reply. There’s just another person, on the other side of the screen, hoping for a real response. When you write like that, you help make LinkedIn a better place for everyone.
The tools we adopt influence how we interact. AI-generated content is not inherently harmful. In the right context it offers real utility. But when applied to the comment section, where immediacy and voice matter most, we risk losing something essential. The casual reply, once a space for unscripted thought, is becoming another surface polished for performance.
This shift matters, especially for those who care about personal branding. Thoughtful, consistent, human interaction is still the most effective way to build trust and recognition. When people can sense your perspective, tone, and intent, they’re more likely to remember and engage with you. It’s this sense of realness that makes your contributions meaningful.
Authenticity on LinkedIn is a competitive edge. The people who stand out aren’t always the most polished. They’re the ones who sound like themselves.
So before you leave your next comment, take a breath. Ask yourself what you really thought. Then write that. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be honest.
If your content sounds like everyone else, it won’t work like you want it to.
Let us help you develop a genuine, strategic presence on LinkedIn that aligns with your personal brand and professional goals. Book a discovery call