LinkedIn, AI Denialism, Instagram RTO, and Digital Disillusionment

Your Weekly Review of News in Technology, UX and AI

Here’s the latest news, resources, and use cases from the world of product, UX, AI and technology. Let’s go:

• 📊 AI in Healthcare

• 💼 LinkedIn

• 💩 AI Creators

• 👀 Denialism

• 🖼️ Instagram RTO

• 🤑 Anthropic

• 😣 Digital Disillusionment

Podcast

Harnessing AI in Healthcare: Insights from RJ Kedziora

In this episode of Product by Design, Kyle Evans interviews RJ Kedziora, co-founder of Estenda, a company specializing in custom software and data analysis for healthcare. We discuss RJ’s journey in technology and entrepreneurship, the importance of energy management over time management, and the role of AI in healthcare. RJ shares insights into the challenges and future of AI applications, the need for ethical considerations, and the potential for personalized healthcare solutions. He also offers advice to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to make a difference in the industry.

News and Useful Reads

LinkedIn is scrapping its associate product manager program and rebuilding around full-stack talent

I think this is an interesting move by LinkedIn. They are replacing their product manager track with a full-stack builder, which will include engineering, UX, and product management. I could see this being a path other companies take as well, though in my experience, even as roles are eliminated and the responsibilities dispersed, people tend to gravitate to specific things anyway.

LinkedIn is dismantling one of Silicon Valley’s most familiar early-career tracks: the associate product manager program.

It will be replaced with a new program that trains people to code, design, and build products end-to-end.

AI ‘creators’ might just crash the influencer economy

My son has a new game, which is “call out AI video and photos” just about anywhere. It can be difficult sometimes, especially with how good the tools are getting. As AI media grows, it eventually might crowd out actual photos and videos and art.

While Jeremy’s primary focus remains on AI literacy and identifying Sora-generated slop, he’s also started digging into the pitfalls and potential dangers posed by the growing number and improving quality of AI-generated videos, especially for creators.

The rise of AI denialism

I’m still skeptical of AI progress and other aspects of the current AI boom (though AI certainly has its applications). But this is for the AI optimists.

So why has the public latched onto the narrative that AI is stalling, that the output is slop, and that the AI boom is just another tech bubble that lacks justifiable use-cases? I believe it’s because society is collectively entering the first stage of grief — denial — over the very scary possibility that we humans may soon lose cognitive supremacy to artificial systems.

Meta’s Instagram orders employees back to the office 5 days a week

Instagram is requiring employees to be back in the office 5 days a week starting in February. As with other companies, it’s ostensibly about collaboration, but it’s really about control.

The new return-to-office policy will take effect on Feb. 2 and is intended to foster a more creative and collaborative working environment, according to a report by the Sources newsletter that cited an employee memo by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri.

Anthropic reportedly preparing for one of the largest IPOs ever in race with OpenAI

Anthropic, the AI startup behind the popular Claude chatbot, is in early talks to launch one of the largest initial public offerings as early as next year, the Financial Times reported Wednesday.

Other Interesting Finds

2025’s words of the year reflect a year of digital disillusionment

We’ve written about AI slop many times so far this year. And it shouldn’t be surprising that it is the word of the year for 2025.

This year’s slate largely centers on digital life. But rather than reflecting the unbridled optimism about the internet of the early aughts – when words like “w00t,” “blog,” “tweet” and even “face with tears of joy” emoji (😂) were chosen – this year’s selections reflect a growing unease over how the internet has become a hotbed of artifice, manipulation and fake relationships.