Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO of Klarna, discussed the company’s new approach to AI and how it affects customer service roles at London SXSW. “It’s possible for two things to be true at once,” he said, considering the move from automating jobs to focusing on human interaction.
Before, Klarna used AI to make its operations more efficient, which led to the elimination of jobs for 700 employees and a reduction in the workforce from 5,500 to 3,000. Siemiatkowski explained that the company is now using the cost savings to improve pay for its remaining staff.
Still, he pointed out that people are still needed, especially when it comes to top-quality service. He said that providing human customer service is always a special feature, just like paying extra for handmade goods. Klarna intends to use AI for routine tasks so that valuable human connections are not lost.
Siemiatkowski pointed out that the company’s skills were changing. Engineering jobs have not changed much, but he notices more businesspeople learning to code, which helps them understand both sides of the business. He believes that this mix of skills will be important for future progress.
The CEO also relies on AI, using ChatGPT to help with coding and data. He explained that he can use ChatGPT to check if a Slack thread makes sense by asking, “Is this clear?”
Siemiatkowski pointed out that AI is making it easier for scams to happen in the fintech sector and is threatening the trust that people have in Sweden.
Klarna has stopped using Salesforce and Workday and retired more than 1,200 software services to make its data easier to use with AI. He did not give many details about the IPO, but he remained positive. If I could make a wish with a magic wand? He’d decide to rejoin the EU, which made the crowd cheer.
