Technology
LinkedIn users retroactively edit profiles to add AI skills and drop DEI terms, study finds
A working paper analyzing millions of profiles shows workers frequently update past job entries to match shifting employer preferences.
The short version
- A working paper analyzing nearly 30 million U.S. LinkedIn profiles found that almost 20% of users retroactively edited titles or descriptions for past jobs.
- Retroactive additions of AI-related terms rose more than sixfold following the release of ChatGPT, while remote-work and DEI language decreased.
- Researchers caution that using current LinkedIn profiles to assess past skill trends overstates the historical prevalence of AI skills in earlier years.
Key facts
- A National Bureau of Economic Research working paper by Stanford and Revelio Labs researchers analyzed snapshots of 29.4 million U.S. LinkedIn profiles from August 2020 to January 2026.[Business Insider]
- Nearly 20% of analyzed LinkedIn accounts contained retroactive edits to titles or descriptions for roles the users had already left.[Business Insider]
- Retroactive additions of AI-related terms like "AI," "GPT," and "LLM" grew more than sixfold after late 2022.[Business Insider]
- Retroactive editing was most frequent in the technology and information sector at 31.6%, followed by arts, entertainment, and recreation at 25%.[Business Insider]
- Additions of remote-work language declined over time, while DEI-related additions dropped sharply around early 2025.[Business Insider]
What remains uncertain
- The research paper has not yet undergone peer review.[Business Insider]
- It is unclear whether retroactive profile edits reflect actual changes in worker capabilities, recontextualization of previous tasks, or exaggeration for prospective employers.[Business Insider]
Sources
- Workers are rewriting their LinkedIn histories to add AI skills. Here's what they're dropping.Business Insider metered