Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been something that has been talked about for decades. In the last couple of years, however, it has moved from the realm of science fiction into reality, with millions of people using tools like ChatGPT every day.

As AI continues to evolve and grow, it is becoming increasingly obvious that it will be able to replace many people’s jobs (and it already has in some cases). Initially, the standard assumption was that it would just replace jobs that were entry level and repetitive, but that is quickly changing and it has some people worried.

Klarna is a rapidly growing FinTech company worth around $14 billion. One thing that sets it apart is that it has fully bought into using AI to streamline their services. In a press release put out earlier this year, the company said that they believe that their ChatGPT integration was going to replace about 700 full-time agents.

This isn’t just talk either. The company says they have all but stopped hiring for many positions, allowing AI to fill in the gaps when people leave the company.

CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski has been thrilled with the increases in capacity and efficiency, and of course, the reductions in expenses, that they have been able to take advantage of thanks to AI. According to a series of posts on X, however, he is now also growing worried that AI will be able to replace him as well.

“To me AI is capable of doing all our jobs, my own included. Because our work is simply reasoning combined with knowledge/experience. And the most critical breakthrough, reasoning, is behind us.”

While the entry level workers who have already been replaced by AI are likely laughing at the irony here, it is a serious concern. As more and more jobs are able to be done by AI, it will change the way the entire economy works.

This goes well beyond just trying to figure out what people will do when they can’t find jobs because everything is being done with AI. For many people, CEOs more than most, their jobs are a major part of their identity. Siemiatkowski continued with his Tweet:

“My work to me is a super important part of who I am, and realizing it might become unnecessary is gloomy. But I also believe we need to be honest with what we think will happen. And I [would] rather learn and explore than pretend it does not exist.”

This is the approach most experts are taking to the subject. While there are obviously some major changes to the way jobs are done coming in the future, it is silly to simply ignore AI technology and what it is able to do.

CEOs, business owners, technologists, and  politicians, however really need to be taking that next step and start thinking about what the world will look like when the vast majority of jobs are simply automated through this incredible technology.

What jobs can’t be done by AI?

If you enjoyed that story, check out what happened when a guy gave ChatGPT $100 to make as money as possible, and it turned out exactly how you would expect.