LinkedIn is introducing a set of features aimed at members juggling side hustles, founder projects, and creator work. The company says more users are listing multiple ongoing roles, and it has seen a 70-percent increase in people adding "founder" to their profiles over the past year. New profile tools will let members highlight several jobs at once, and a test "network" feed will show only posts from existing connections and followed accounts instead of algorithmic recommendations.
For founders and creators, LinkedIn is adding a "business card" that can be stored in a phone's wallet app for in-person networking, plus an analytics dashboard for post performance. It is also expanding its video revenue-sharing program, which passes along a cut of pre-roll ad revenue. The most direct monetization feature is "Advice Sessions," which lets users offer paid one-on-one consultations. The feature will initially be available to US members with a business premium subscription, and LinkedIn says it will not take a cut of earnings.
Chief Product Officer Hari Srinivasan said company data shows "there are definitely more people starting businesses now," though it is "hard to tell" whether AI is the cause. He cautioned that AI has not necessarily made it easier to build a business, noting that "you can build all this incredible stuff with AI, but I don't know if it's necessarily made it easier to build a business." The changes reflect LinkedIn's view that work now spans multiple roles, but the company stops short of attributing the shift entirely to AI.