However, the announcement has sparked controversy as Klarna laid off about 700 people nearly two years ago. Critics have questioned whether the company replaced those workers with AI. Klarna denied any connection between the layoffs and the new AI chatbot, stating that the company's customer service is supported by large global partners who reassign agents to new tasks when one company requires less support.
Key takeaways:
- Klarna's CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, announced that their new OpenAI-powered customer service chatbot is doing the work of 700 people and has handled about 66% of its customer support or about 2.3 million chats in its first four weeks.
- The chatbot performs at a level equivalent to human customer service agents, and in some cases exceeds them, reducing repeat inquiries and resolving problems faster.
- Despite the chatbot's efficiency, Siemiatkowski's announcement raised concerns as Klarna had laid off approximately 700 people in 2022. However, Klarna clarified that the AI chatbot was not connected to its workforce reductions.
- Siemiatkowski acknowledged the societal implications of AI technology, emphasizing the need for transparency and thoughtful discussion on how society can navigate this transformation.