The Rise of Human Stories on LinkedIn, According to Niluka Kavanagh

In a recent LinkedIn post, Niluka Kavanagh explores a significant shift observed on the platform, suggesting that LinkedIn may be entering a “storytelling era.” This observation comes in the wake of LinkedIn introducing an “AI slop button” for reporting generic AI-generated content, which Kavanagh believes has prompted a noticeable change in user feeds.

According to Niluka Kavanagh, the platform is now featuring “a LOT more stories,” encompassing both personal and professional narratives. This includes behind-the-scenes glimpses and shared lessons learned from conversations. Kavanagh highlights a perceived decrease in the prevalence of infographics and large, billboard-style posts, particularly from creators who haven’t yet established a large, accustomed audience.

“Instead, my feed feels, well, increasingly HUMAN.”

The Enduring Power of Narrative

Niluka Kavanagh posits that this trend toward human-centric content is deeply rooted in our evolutionary history. “Stories have connected humans for thousands of years,” Kavanagh writes, emphasizing that storytelling predates even language itself and is “hard wired in us.” This fundamental human connection, according to Kavanagh, is why stories are now performing exceptionally well on the platform.

The Caveat: Value in Storytelling

However, Niluka Kavanagh introduces a crucial caveat to this observation: for a story to resonate on LinkedIn, it must offer tangible value to the audience. While personal news can be interesting, Kavanagh argues that the true worth lies in the takeaway for the listener or reader. This value can manifest in various ways, such as prompting new ways of thinking, imparting knowledge, or providing the confidence and motivation for others to act.

“It’s what someone can take away from it. Maybe it makes them think differently. Maybe they learn something. Or maybe it gives them the confidence / motivation / inspiration to do something they’ve been putting off!”

Kavanagh suggests that everyone possesses stories worth telling, but they may not yet recognize their potential impact or have considered their relevance to a broader audience. This aligns with Kavanagh’s broader message, often shared in keynotes about the future of work, that uniquely human attributes will become increasingly vital.

AI and the Irreplicable Human Experience

A key point made by Niluka Kavanagh is that AI cannot replicate the depth and nuance of individual, lived experiences, which are the foundation of authentic storytelling. “Stories are unique to us and AI cannot replicate something based on our own individual, lived experience,” Kavanagh asserts. This distinctiveness, Kavanagh believes, is what makes human stories particularly powerful and resilient in an increasingly automated digital landscape.

“What makes us human will become more, not less important.”

Concluding the post, Niluka Kavanagh prompts readers to consider the stories they will share and, crucially, why those stories matter. This encourages a more mindful approach to content creation, focusing on impact and connection rather than mere frequency or format.