Have you found yourself scrolling on LinkedIn like it’s TikTok? Yeah… us too.
LinkedIn’s Short-Form Video Surge
Is LinkedIn really turning into the next TikTok? At PepTalk, this question sparked a lively debate. Once a platform known for job hunting, professional milestones, and thoughtful industry insights, LinkedIn now embraces short-form, TikTok-style videos, a shift that’s impossible to ignore.
Video uploads on LinkedIn surged by 34% year-on-year in late 2024, while viewership jumped 36% in early 2025. This surge highlights a clear user appetite for bite-sized, dynamic content, even in professional spaces. LinkedIn isn’t merely chasing trends; it’s using data to deliver personalised, career-focused videos, from job tips to industry updates. This evolution opens new doors for learning and networking, adapting to how people prefer to consume information today.
From Innovation to Imitation
This transformation is far from isolated. Instagram and Facebook rolled out Reels, closely replicating TikTok’s short-form video format and changed their algorithms to prioritise this content. YouTube Shorts offers a similar vertical scroll experience, while Snapchat Spotlight and X’s (formerly Twitter) “For You” tab replicate TikTok’s addictive discovery model. Even Spotify adopted vertical video feeds for content discovery, showing TikTok’s reach beyond traditional social media.
Such widespread adoption signals a fundamental shift across platforms toward AI-driven, short-form video content. These formats maximise engagement by feeding users fast, entertaining, and personalised content, fundamentally changing how we interact with digital media.
Surface-Level Engagement vs. Professional Depth
Yet, not everyone welcomes this change. While short videos increase engagement, many argue they dilute the depth and quality of LinkedIn’s content. Instead of rich career updates or detailed case studies, users increasingly encounter surface-level posts designed to capture attention quickly.
LinkedIn remains a professional network where your boss, colleagues, and potential employers are likely watching. This creates a tension: personal, casual content may boost authenticity, but it’s not necessarily why most people use the platform, raising cultural questions about appropriateness and value.
The Cognitive Cost of the Scroll
Beyond content concerns, there are cognitive implications. Research shows that addiction to short-form video impairs executive control, the brain’s ability to plan, manage impulses, and focus. Constant exposure to fast, dopamine-driven content rewires how we process and retain information.
» READ MORE: Check out PepTalk's brilliant neuroscience experts to explain what this does to your brain.
Reclaiming Curiosity and Attention
This is not a call to ditch video content. Short-form video plays a crucial role in modern communication. However, we must be mindful of balance.
Recent insights suggest that with access to so much information, people often become shallowly interested in many topics without truly deep-diving into any. This broad but superficial consumption means knowing a little about a lot, but not much about what genuinely matters to each individual. It also raises important questions about identity and authentic interests.
It’s important, then, to pause and reflect on what truly sparks curiosity and to invest time in exploring those interests deeply. Without this intentional focus, there is a risk of becoming a homogeneous, distracted community with shrinking attention spans and little real depth.
Keynote Speakers and Experts to Discuss Brain Rot
Nicole Vignola
Nicole Vignola brings clarity to the complex world of neuroscience, helping audiences understand how digital habits impact brain health. With a grounded, science-first approach, she explains how screen time affects cognitive function, emotional regulation, and attention. Nicole is particularly effective at breaking down scientific principles into digestible tools that individuals and teams can use to foster healthier thinking patterns and habits. Her sessions are ideal for organisations looking to address digital overload with practical, research-backed strategies.
PepTalk Fact: Nicole’s debut book Rewire sold into over 20 languages before it even hit the shelves 🌍
⮕ Learn more and book Nicole Vignola as a speaker.
Baroness Susan Greenfield
Susan Greenfield is a world-leading neuroscientist who has spent decades exploring how technology reshapes the brain. She tackles big questions around screen time, identity, and cognition with clarity and authority, drawing on her acclaimed book Mind Change. Her talks bring to life the unseen effects of digital environments, from gaming to social media, and their long-term consequences on our mental landscapes. Susan’s sessions offer a compelling, science-based lens on one of today’s most urgent topics.
PepTalk Fact: Susan holds 32 honorary degrees and is a Life Peer in the House of Lords 🎓
⮕ Learn more and book Susan Greenfield as a speaker.
Anne-Laure Le Cunff
Anne-Laure Le Cunff expertly connects the science of attention with the realities of modern screen use. Her talks explore how digital environments hijack our curiosity and how we can reclaim it through neuroscience-based techniques. With experience at Google and currently a PhD candidate in neuroscience, Anne-Laure blends corporate fluency with academic depth. She equips audiences with powerful strategies to manage focus, resist distraction, and think more clearly in a hyperconnected world.
PepTalk Fact: Anne-Laure’s weekly brain science newsletter reaches over 120,000 subscribers 🧠
⮕ Learn more and book Anne-Laure Le Cunff as a speaker.
Anne-Sophie Fluri
Anne-Sophie Fluri delivers sharp, research-driven insights on how screen time and digital distraction shape our brains and behaviour. With a background in psychedelic and neurological research, she brings rare scientific depth to workplace performance topics. Her sessions focus on helping teams boost attention, reduce burnout, and improve resilience using techniques grounded in neuroscience, not wellness fads. Anne-Sophie is especially effective with high-performance teams navigating the constant interruptions of digital life.
PepTalk Fact: Anne-Sophie’s neuroscience research has been featured in The Times and The Daily Telegraph 📰
💡 Would you like to explore Tiktokification with an expert speaker? Let us know, and we’ll find the perfect PepTalk expert for your organisation. Email us athello@getapeptalk.com or send us a message via the chat. You can also call us on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US). Remember, it’s always a good time to get a PepTalk!
