Klarna CEO Warns AI Will Massively Disrupt Tech Jobs Soon

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating faster than ever, but according to Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski, the tech industry isn’t being honest about what’s coming. In a candid and urgent message, Siemiatkowski has cautioned that AI will soon disrupt the landscape of tech jobs in unprecedented ways—likely leading to mass unemployment.

AI Hype vs. Harsh Reality

While many CEOs embrace AI’s efficiency benefits and publicly celebrate its potential, the Klarna chief insists that a harsher reality is being sugarcoated. In his view, leaders across the tech industry are failing to prepare their companies, workers, and the public for the seismic workforce disruptions that AI is already beginning to unleash.

Siemiatkowski isn’t basing his comments on theory—his company has already begun implementing AI at scale. Klarna, the Swedish fintech giant known for its “buy now, pay later” services, has made significant strides with AI in customer support and operational efficiency. This transformation has come at a steep cost to its human workforce.

Klarna’s Workforce Slashed in Half

In a move that both stunned and foreshadowed what may lie ahead, Klarna has already cut its workforce by 50%, much of it driven by improved productivity through AI implementations. According to Siemiatkowski, many of those job losses weren’t just about financial challenges or restructuring—they were directly tied to the rapid integration of AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

He explains that the deployment of AI-powered tools allowed the company to:

• Replace repetitive tasks in customer service and support
• Speed up internal workflows like finance reporting, HR processes, and IT monitoring
• Improve decision-making through real-time machine learning models

The result? Klarna is leaner, more efficient, and able to accomplish more with fewer people. Yet Siemiatkowski says this isn’t necessarily something to celebrate blindly—especially when it reflects a trend the entire tech sector is soon to face.

Mass Job Losses Across the Tech Industry

“AI is coming for white-collar jobs faster than people realize,” says Siemiatkowski. While much of the discussion around automation has, in the past, focused on manufacturing or logistics roles, the Klarna CEO warns that the next wave will hit knowledge workers and tech professionals—and hard.

Roles at risk include:

• Software developers – With tools like GitHub Copilot and other AI coding assistants growing sharper, AI is helping developers write code faster—and in some cases, eliminating the need for entire junior dev teams.
• Customer support agents – Many companies are already using AI chatbots and virtual assistants to handle common service queries without human intervention.
• Marketing content specialists – AI-generated content is becoming more sophisticated, enabling companies to scale up content production with fewer human writers.
• Data analysts – Predictive AI models and automated dashboards reduce the need for entry-level analytical roles.

This broad range of affected roles suggests that AI won’t just augment work—it’s poised to completely replace certain job categories in the near future.

Silence from Silicon Valley?

Siemiatkowski accuses other tech executives of not being transparent with their stakeholders. While AI is often touted as a “productivity booster”, he believes few CEOs are being honest about the major job losses that result.

“Tech leaders are sugarcoating the impact of AI,” he said. “We’re pretending it’s a smooth transition, but the structural unemployment we’re building into the system is very real.”

His message is clear: corporate leaders need to be more proactive in explaining, planning for, and mitigating the workforce shifts AI will bring. Missing the opportunity to lead these conversations now could leave governments, educators, and workers dangerously unprepared.

The Need for Transparent AI Leadership

According to Siemiatkowski, business leaders must take responsibility for:

• Educating policymakers about AI’s impact on employment
• Preparing employee retraining programs for skills that remain in demand
• Gradually scaling AI adoption rather than abruptly replacing workers
• Supporting safety nets such as universal basic income or AI-related tax reform

By failing to take these steps, the tech industry may create not just a talent crisis—but also a social crisis.

Preparing for the Next Employment Shift

As AI gains traction, Siemiatkowski emphasizes the importance of reskilling and education. Rather than resisting the change, workers should focus on:

• Learning AI-related tools and platforms to stay competitive
• Focusing on creativity, strategy, and soft skills that AI cannot easily replicate
• Exploring hybrid roles where AI assists rather than replaces human talent

Companies, governments, and universities also need to collaborate on designing new learning pathways that prepare people for roles in the emerging AI-driven economy.

Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call from the Front Lines

Klarna’s Sebastian Siemiatkowski isn’t just talking theoretically—he’s already leading a company that has undergone a major workforce transformation due to AI. His warning should serve as a wake-up call to an industry that has long leaned into the glowing potential of tech, while ignoring its darker implications.

With white-collar tech jobs increasingly exposed to disruption, businesses and workers alike must act now to adapt to a reality where human talent and machine intelligence coexist—but not always harmoniously. The future of work is arriving faster than expected, and according to Klarna’s CEO, only honest leadership and proactive change will soften the blow.