LinkedIn adding new training features, news feeds and 'bots'

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - LinkedIn wants to become more useful to workers by adding personalized news feeds, helpful messaging "bots" and recommendations for online training courses, as the professional networking service strives to be more than just a tool for job-hunting.

The new services will arrive just as LinkedIn itself gains a new boss - Microsoft - which is paying $26 billion to acquire the Silicon Valley company later this year.

LinkedIn said the new features, which it showed off to reporters Thursday, were in the works before the Microsoft takeover was announced in June. But it hopes to incorporate some of Microsoft's technology as it develops features such as conversational "chat bots," or software that can carry on limited conversations, answer questions and perform tasks like making reservations.