Would an AI-enhanced LinkedIn competitor be better nowadays?

LinkedIn already has some AI features integrated into it, that will help you find your dream job easier than ever. The feature debuted on the social media platform earlier this year, and like almost any AI feature on the market, it was developed by Microsoft.

But recently, the biggest professional social media network in the world has come under some scrutiny from the controversial Elon Musk, who, according to the latest reports, is thinking about developing a much cooler LinkedIn competitor, in the months to come, after calling it cringe.

People send me LinkedIn links sometimes, but the cringe level is so high that I just can’t bring myself to use it, so I ask for the resume or bio to be emailed.

We will make sure that the X competitor to LinkedIn is cool.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 27, 2023

So it’s worth revisiting this topic: what would a LinkedIn competitor look like today? How could someone build a social media network that keeps it professional, and engaging, and helps you get jobs?

It’s hard to visualize such a network, given just how important LinkedIn is already. Musk might call it cringe, but the platform is helping millions of people find work, and build a network or a following. So any competitor would have to take these facts into account.

An AI-enhanced LinkedIn competitor would probably attract a lot of job-seekers

Why? The answer is quite simple: automated applications. Everything from submitting your CV to filtering jobs, writing cover letters, getting in touch with the right HR, or managing people.

For now, LinkedIn has integrated AI, but it’s still far away from being completely automated. Maybe that’s not the end goal, sure, but it’s enough to take a glance at all the TikTokers looking for jobs on LinkedIn to realize just how tedious applying for jobs on LinkedIn is.

Someone even said once that looking for a job on LinkedIn is a full-time job in itself because the platform is built in a way that makes one spend a lot of time applying for jobs. An AI-enhanced LinkedIn competitor would attract a lot of job-seekers strictly due to this reason.

An AI assistant can easily sort out every job your profile is suited for, it can easily help you personalize your CV for every application. And it could easily help you write cover letters, messages, and follow-ups.

Aside from that, a LinkedIn competitor would have to give up the Premium features. Sure, paying to be on a social media platform seems to be the new norm, but not everybody can afford it.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, or Instagram, have a freemium model, and every feature, including the job searching feature on Facebook, is free.

A LinkedIn competitor would have to be free, because this way, it will actually prove a point: we care about the community, and each and every one of you is important. LinkedIn might be the best professional network, but the platform lacks a lot of empathy overall, even though it’s overwhelmingly encouraging it everywhere.

Will Elon Musk build such a platform? It remains to be seen, but we can all dream, right?

What do you think?