LinkedIn has introduced a new feature that allows users to display verified AI skill certifications on their profiles, signaling a shift away from self-reported skills and short-form tests toward proof based on real-world usage. The update is part of a broader effort by the Microsoft-owned professional networking platform to make profiles more reflective of applied, in-demand capabilities.
The company said the certifications will be issued through partnerships with AI-first software platforms, starting with Lovable, Relay.app, and Replit. Qualified users can link their accounts on those services to LinkedIn, where certificates reflecting their level of proficiency will appear automatically. Additional partners, including Gamma, GitHub, Zapier, and Descript, are expected to join the program in the coming months.
Unlike traditional certifications that rely on exams or one-time assessments, LinkedIn’s model is based on continuous evaluation. Partner platforms assess how users work within their products, analyzing usage patterns, outcomes, and overall sophistication over time. Once a user meets a platform’s internal threshold for proficiency, the verified skill badge is added to their LinkedIn profile.
Pat Whelan, head of career products at LinkedIn, said the goal is to provide hiring managers with a more reliable signal of capability. The certifications are also designed to feed into LinkedIn’s own hiring and recruiting tools, including AI-driven candidate matching.
Proof Through Usage, Not Tests
LinkedIn said the exact criteria for proficiency will vary by partner and has not disclosed benchmarks or minimum usage requirements. The company said this flexibility allows product makers, rather than LinkedIn, to define what meaningful expertise looks like for their tools. Experience gained through side projects or independent work will count toward certification, not just usage in a formal job setting.
Hari Srinivasan, LinkedIn’s vice president of product, described verified skills as an extension of the platform’s broader trust initiatives. LinkedIn’s identity verification system has been adopted by more than 100 million users, and the company views verified AI skills as an additional layer of credibility for both job seekers and employers.
The move reflects changing hiring expectations as AI tools become embedded across roles beyond software engineering. Employers are increasingly seeking candidates who can demonstrate practical experience with modern tools rather than familiarity in name only.
Rising Demand for AI Skills
The rollout comes amid strong growth in demand for AI-related skills across industries. An edX report published last year found that job postings requiring AI capabilities doubled over a 12-month period. Data from Indeed’s Hiring Lab showed that by the end of 2025, more than four percent of U.S. job listings referenced AI skills, with growing demand in fields such as finance, marketing, and operations.
By anchoring certifications to hands-on tools such as Replit and GitHub, LinkedIn is promoting a more applied definition of AI literacy. The approach may help employers cut through inflated skill claims, but it also raises questions about transparency, consistency, and how disputes over automated assessments will be handled as the program scales.
For now, LinkedIn is betting that verified proof of work will carry more weight than endorsements or buzzwords, as AI tools become a core requirement in an increasingly competitive job market.
The feature also fits into a broader expansion of AI across the platform, including the recent launch of a natural language–based people search tool that lets users find relevant professionals by describing who they are looking for rather than relying on filters or job titles. Together, these updates underscore LinkedIn’s effort to make profiles and connections more dynamic, skill-driven, and useful in an increasingly AI-shaped job market.
