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Artificial intelligenceFinancial servicesLatest NewsJob creation and lossesTech sector

Klarna to ‘halve’ workforce as it ramps up AI

by Jo Faragher 28 Aug 2024
by Jo Faragher 28 Aug 2024 Poetra.RH / Shutterstock.com
Poetra.RH / Shutterstock.com

Klarna has shrunk its workforce by more than 1,000 employees during the last year as it ramps up its use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The buy now, pay later company employed around 5,000 people this time in 2023, but has now shrunk headcount to 3,800, according to its interim results announcement this week.

Chief executive Sebastian Siemiatkowski told the Financial Times newspaper that it will shed 2,000 more jobs as it prepares for a potential stock market listing and increases AI deployment in customer service and marketing.

Artificial intelligence

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In its interim report, the Swedish company said AI was taking on more and more tasks, meaning it could reduce the number of human workers.

Klarna said: “Our proven scale efficiencies have been enhanced by our investment in AI, which has driven down operating expenses and improved gross profits.”

It also said that average revenue per employee has increased by 73% compared to this time last year. One area where AI has delivered high efficiency is in customer service, where Klarna estimates it performs the work of 700 employees.

Average resolution time for customer issues has reduced from 11 minutes to just two, while maintaining the same customer satisfaction scores, it claims.

Klarna has two offices in the UK, in London and Manchester. It said reductions to headcount would be even across its site.

It is using natural attrition rather than announcing lay-offs in the first instance, and has imposed a hiring freeze on roles that are not in engineering.

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Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. Jo is also the author of 'Good Work, Great Technology', published in 2022 by Clink Street Publishing, charting the relationship between effective workplace technology and productive and happy employees. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

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