Sebastian Siemiatkowski, the CEO of Klarna, recently addressed the company’s shift back towards hiring human workers for customer service roles, following a period of reliance on artificial intelligence. Speaking on stage with us at SXSW London, he shared that the company had already deployed AI technology that he said allowed them to do the work of 700 FTE. He is most excited about the customer service interface that will come from blending human employees and improved AI capabilities.
Siemiatkowski underscored that “two things can be true at the same time. Finally, he cautioned that as good as AI is at automating repetitive tasks, there’s no substitute for human connection when it comes to customers. With this dual approach, they’re focused on delivering a positive customer experience while maximizing efficiency for the operation.
It’s worth noting that in recent years, Klarna has undergone a radical transformation. The firm has reduced its headcount from roughly 5,500 workers to just under 3,000. Siemiatkowski shared his intentions to reinvest the savings gained from the cut. He reiterated the company’s focus on recompensing its new, leaner staff with better cash and stock pay.
“We realize that the only way forward is going to be to consolidate data,” Siemiatkowski stated, addressing Klarna’s decision to discontinue partnerships with Salesforce and Workday. As the CEO further elaborated, it’s through this consolidation that they can create the most seamless and effective data to be funneled into AI systems. As part of this plan, Klarna has cut several small software services, about 1,200 in all, to cut costs and focus resources.
Siemiatkowski noticed an unusual development inside Klarna. Then he saw this wave of business people, entrepreneurs who wanted to program. This change is reflective of employees moving into more technologically inclined positions to have a better insight on their organization’s data-driven efforts. It’s part of a developing trend throughout the industry where workers are being asked to acquire artificial intelligence and computer coding skills.
Siemiatkowski admitted to leveraging AI tools himself, stating, “I’ll take a Slack thread, I’ll throw it in ChatGPT and say, ‘this makes sense, right?’” This applied, experiential method deepens his comprehension. It also illustrates the ways leaders can use AI—notably to make their decision-making processes more resilient and rigorous.
The CEO principle addressed the escalating threat of scams to those trust-based societies. Central to his advocacy was this missing link, especially in regard to Sweden, his home country. He pointed out that this is a major problem and pain point for companies and end-users.
Siemiatkowski was unafraid to use his platform to speak out on issues of politics. He added that given a magic wand, his wish would be for the U.K. to rejoin the European Union. This policy shift speaks to Louis’ deep commitment to deepen economic connection.
As Klarna rides out these changes, Siemiatkowski is bullish heading, and hoping, into the future. He also said, “It pleases me to see less turbulence in the market.” This reflects his growing sense of permanence in the new financial reality.