'AI can do job of 700 agents': Swedish firm that stopped hiring humans, wants them back
Swedish fintech company replaced humans with AI in customer care and marketing jobs, claiming they did the job of 700 people. Now it wants people back. Science & Tech Trending
A Swedish company that replaced humans with AI in marketing and customer service jobs has realised that it made a mistake. Financial tech startup Klarna automated them after partnering with OpenAI. In 2023, it stopped hiring humans altogether after cutting down its marketing contracts. The next year, it replaced the customer service team with AI agents.
But, it is now taking a U-turn as the decision to get rid of humans in customer care positions has backfired. Klarna is planning a big recruitment drive and will hire people to work remotely and deal with customers, Futurism reported.
Sebastian Siemiatkowski, the Swedish fintech's CEO, admitted that having AI agents talking to real people who are already angry about something was a bad idea.
Klarna CEO admits AI reps no match for humans
"From a brand perspective, a company perspective, I just think it’s so critical that you are clear to your customer that there will always be a human if you want," he said.
Also Read: ChatGPT users in a state of 'psychosis', believe 'cosmic' overlords are watching them: Report
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
Only five months back, he told Bloomberg that "AI can already do all of the jobs that we, as humans, do." At this time, Klarna had already reduced its workforce by 22 per cent. After pausing new recruitments, the company stated that it had saved $10 million on marketing costs. Jobs such as translation, art production, and data analysis were transferred to generative AI. It claimed that automated customer service agents were equal to having "700 full-time agents."
Also Read: 'Respond to me as...': Woman has 'shades of grey' affair with ChatGPT boyfriend
Cost played a major role in Klarna deciding to replace humans with an automated customer care service. However, Siemiatkowski admitted that they suffered problems with quality.
Siemiatkowski told Bloomberg, "Cost unfortunately seems to have been a too predominant evaluation factor when organising this, what you end up having is lower quality."
A January 2024 survey of 1,400 business executives showed that a majority weren't happy with "their organisation’s progress on AI and GenAI so far", and that AI lacked talent and skills. A recent survey in the UK found that 55 per cent of businessmen who replaced humans with AI regret their decision.
