LinkedIn's New AI Search Will Rewrite How Professionals Get Found

by Kathy Bernard

LinkedIn has launched AI Powered People Search, to help you find relevant professionals using natural language queries in the search box instead of filters or job titles. Searches like “Lindenwood alum who works in healthcare” or “Who in my network can help me file a patent?” now return people who match your questions. The feature is limited to premium subscribers, creating a strong incentive to upgrade.

This shift also means it’s time to rethink your profile. LinkedIn’s AI is built to understand who you help, in what context, and with what results—not just the keywords in your headline. Profiles that are vague or overloaded with buzzwords may become invisible in AI driven search.

To stay discoverable, write your profile for AI queries. AI style searches sound like: “Someone who scaled B2B SaaS content from 0–100k organic visits” or “A CMO with IPO experience in St. Louis fintech,” so emphasize outcomes that match such real world search questions.

Traditional headline stuffing (“Marketing Director, CMO, Growth, SaaS”) is losing effectiveness. LinkedIn now favors one clear identity, one clear value proposition, and natural language that mirrors how people describe you.

Make your profile’s experience section bullets read like mini case studies. Curate your skills to the most relevant. Feature recommendations that highlight key achievements. And because LinkedIn’s AI increasingly analyzes your network and engagement, interact with the right topics on your homepage newsfeed.

Profiles that don’t adapt may not just underperform—they may disappear, so optimize your profile now to be found for AI-powered people search.

Kathy Bernard (kathy@wiseru.com), CEO of WiserU.com, is a St. Louis-based LinkedIn consultant/trainer who equips businesses to maximize LinkedIn for sales, marketing, or fundraising.