Sebastian Siemiatkowski, the CEO and cofounder of buy-now, pay-later giant Klarna, has made stark declarations about artificial intelligence’s capability to replace human workers across all job levels—including his own executive position. In a candid X post on Monday, Siemiatkowski stated that “AI is capable of doing all our jobs, my own included,” citing AI’s advancing reasoning capabilities as the key factor.
The Klarna chief expressed ambivalence about this technological shift, noting that while AI has reached impressive capabilities, the prospect isn’t entirely positive. “I am not necessarily super excited about this,” he wrote. “On the contrary my work to me is a super important part of who I am, and realizing it might become unnecessary is gloomy.” His comments reflect a growing concern among business leaders about AI’s impact on human purpose and identity in the workplace.
Siemiatkowski explained the technical foundation for his assessment, noting that AI can now routinely solve simple problems using basic reasoning. More significantly, he argued that complex problems can be “divided into smaller and more basic reasoning tasks that are combined,” meaning the fundamental building blocks for AI to tackle advanced tasks already exist. However, he acknowledged that “how exactly we will combine those building blocks of reason and knowledge to replicate the work we do today is not yet entirely solved.”
This isn’t the first time the Klarna CEO has voiced concerns about AI’s disruptive potential. In December, he told Bloomberg that AI could “already do all of the jobs that we as humans do.” Klarna has been at the forefront of AI adoption in the fintech sector. In February 2024, the Swedish company announced its AI assistant was performing work equivalent to 700 full-time human agents, demonstrating the practical impact of AI implementation.
The company has backed up its AI enthusiasm with workforce changes. In August, Siemiatkowski wrote that “AI allows us to be fewer in total.” By October, he revealed on the “Grit” podcast that Klarna had “stopped hiring due to AI” and was shrinking through natural attrition of approximately 20%, though the company continued hiring some engineers.
Meanwhile, Klarna is preparing for a major IPO in the United States. The company confidentially submitted draft registration documents to the SEC in November, marking a significant milestone as it seeks to go public amid its AI transformation.
Key Quotes
AI is capable of doing all our jobs, my own included
Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski made this statement in an X post on Monday, emphasizing that AI’s reasoning capabilities have advanced to the point where even executive-level positions could be automated, marking a significant acknowledgment from a major tech CEO.
I am not necessarily super excited about this. On the contrary my work to me is a super important part of who I am, and realizing it might become unnecessary is gloomy.
Siemiatkowski expressed personal ambivalence about AI’s potential to replace human work, revealing the psychological and existential concerns even technology advocates face when confronting AI’s implications for human purpose and identity.
AI allows us to be fewer in total.
The Klarna CEO wrote this in an August X post, succinctly capturing the company’s strategy of using AI to reduce headcount—a statement that has proven prescient as Klarna stopped most hiring and allowed its workforce to shrink through attrition.
Complex problems can be divided into smaller and more basic reasoning tasks that are combined
Siemiatkowski explained the technical reasoning behind his assessment, arguing that because AI can handle basic reasoning tasks and complex work can be broken down into simpler components, the foundation for comprehensive AI job replacement already exists.
Our Take
What makes Siemiatkowski’s statements particularly noteworthy is the combination of aggressive AI implementation with personal ambivalence. Unlike many tech executives who celebrate AI’s potential uncritically, he acknowledges the “gloomy” reality of work becoming unnecessary. This honesty is refreshing but also troubling—he’s building the future he admits concerns him. Klarna’s 700-agent AI replacement isn’t a pilot program; it’s a blueprint other companies will follow. The timing is also significant: making these statements while preparing for an IPO suggests investor appetite for AI-driven efficiency may outweigh workforce concerns. His acknowledgment that even CEO-level work is replaceable should serve as a wake-up call across all sectors. The question isn’t whether AI can do our jobs, but what society will look like when it does—and whether we’re prepared for that transition.
Why This Matters
Siemiatkowski’s comments represent a watershed moment in the AI-and-employment debate, as they come from a CEO actively implementing AI at scale rather than theoretical speculation. Klarna’s real-world results—replacing 700 customer service roles with AI—provide concrete evidence of AI’s workforce impact, making this more than hypothetical discussion.
The significance extends beyond Klarna. As a prominent fintech leader preparing for a high-profile US IPO, Siemiatkowski’s statements signal that AI-driven workforce reduction may become a normalized business strategy rather than an isolated experiment. His admission that even executive-level work is replaceable challenges assumptions about which jobs are “safe” from automation.
For businesses, this story highlights the tension between operational efficiency and human purpose. For workers across industries, it raises urgent questions about reskilling, job security, and the future of work. The fact that Siemiatkowski himself expresses ambivalence—acknowledging work’s importance to identity while pursuing AI implementation—captures the complex ethical and practical dilemmas facing the business world as AI capabilities accelerate.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/klarna-ceo-sebastian-siemiatkowski-ai-job-2025-1