Swedish fintech giant Klarna is quietly making waves, not just in the world of finance, but in the way we work. Klarna employs more than 5,000 people, 90 per cent of whom are using a new type of tool: generative AI, which is fundamentally changing the way knowledge work gets done.
Gone are the days when AI was relegated to the factory floor or to the realm of customer service chatbots. Klarna’s story highlights a new frontier: AI integration in white-collar careers. Communications teams are using AI to analyse news sentiment and sift through large volumes of text to understand public perception. Legal departments are using AI to draft contracts in a very short amount of time, allowing lawyers to focus on complex legal issues.
It’s not just about improving efficiency, though. Human-machine collaboration is undergoing a fascinating transformation.
The key is adaptation.
As AI becomes more complex, the skills needed to succeed in the workplace will evolve. The ability to work effectively with AI, utilising its strengths and mitigating its weaknesses will become critical. This doesn’t necessarily mean that extensive coding knowledge is required; rather, it’s about understanding how AI works, its limitations, and how best to integrate it into your workflow.
However, the future of work is unlikely to be a battleground between humans and machines, but rather a complex partnership where humans and AI work together. Klarna’s story is a glimpse into this future, a world where AI is not just a tool, but a collaborator, a co-pilot on the road to efficiency, innovation, and ultimately human progress.
This shift is not only having a major impact on Kraner. Law firms, marketing agencies, and even the creative industries may follow suit. The question is not whether AI will be integrated into white-collar careers, but how effectively humans can use this technology to unlock new possibilities and redefine the nature of knowledge work.
Artificial intelligence is becoming a thought partner, a tireless research assistant, and even a first draft generator.
Consider a lawyer drafting a contract using ChatGPT Enterprise. Artificial intelligence doesn’t replace the lawyer’s expertise; it replaces it. It amplifies it. The lawyer’s legal mindset is still critical, ensuring that the contract adheres to all necessary legal terminology. However, AI can handle the tedious errands, freeing up valuable time for strategic thinking and client interaction.
This human-AI partnership extends beyond the legal team. Communications professionals can now analyse vast amounts of data to understand how their messages resonate with the public. Marketing teams can use AI to personalise campaigns and pinpoint audiences. The implications for knowledge work are profound.
Of course, there are concerns. Some fear that jobs will be replaced as AI may automate tasks traditionally performed by humans. Klarna itself went through a period of layoffs in 2022, which some may attribute to their adoption of AI. However, the company insists that AI is not a job killer, but a job changer. For example, their AI chatbots have replaced 700 customer service roles, but have also freed up resources to invest in other areas of the business. Human employees who were once in customer service roles may now focus on data analytics, customer experience optimisation or other AI-powered initiatives.