Paul Welty, PhD AI, WORK, AND STAYING HUMAN

Bookmark: Klarna CEO says the company stopped hiring a year ago because AI 'can already do all of the jobs'

Klarna's CEO reveals how AI's capabilities halted hiring, challenging traditional job models and reshaping the future of work in fintech.

In a fascinating insight from Business Insider, Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski discusses how AI could potentially replace human labor, leading the fintech company to halt hiring. The idea that AI “can already do all the jobs” challenges traditional workforce models. And as someone keenly interested in tech-forward solutions, I find it intriguing how Klarna plans to navigate this AI-driven future. This piece sheds light on the dynamic interplay between innovation and employment.

“Siemiatkowski said AI ‘can already do all of the jobs that we as humans do.’” Klarna CEO says the company stopped hiring a year ago because AI ‘can already do all of the jobs’


Featured writing

Why customer tools are organized wrong

This article reveals a fundamental flaw in how customer support tools are designed—organizing by interaction type instead of by customer—and explains why this fragmentation wastes time and obscures the full picture you need to help users effectively.

Busy is not a state

We've built work cultures that reward activity, even when nothing actually changes. In technical systems, activity doesn't count—only state change does. This essay explores why "busy" has become the most misleading signal we have, and how focusing on state instead of motion makes work more honest, less draining, and actually productive.

Infrastructure shapes thought

The tools you build determine what kinds of thinking become possible. On infrastructure, friction, and building deliberately for thought rather than just throughput.

Books

The Work of Being (in progress)

A book on AI, judgment, and staying human at work.

The Practice of Work (in progress)

Practical essays on how work actually gets done.

Recent writing

Dev reflection - January 31, 2026

I've been thinking about what happens when your tools start asking better questions than you do.

Dev reflection - January 30, 2026

So here's something that happened yesterday that I'm still thinking about. Seven different projects—completely unrelated work, different domains, different goals—all hit the same wall on the same d...

Dev reflection - January 29, 2026

So here's something I've been sitting with. You finish a piece of work. You ship it. Everything looks good. And then production starts teaching you that you weren't actually done.

Notes and related thinking

Bookmark: GenAI comes for jobs once considered 'safe' from automation

Generative AI is reshaping secure jobs in education, finance, and ICT, creating both challenges and opportunities for adaptation in urban areas.

Bookmark: CEO Says He Hasn’t Hired Anyone in a Year as He Replaces Human Workers With AI

Klarna's CEO reveals a bold shift to AI, reducing staff by 22% in a year while boosting productivity. Explore the future of work and technology's impact.

Bookmark: Mastercard exec wants companies to reskill workers before AI comes for their jobs

Mastercard's exec urges businesses to prioritize reskilling workers to prepare for the AI revolution and safeguard jobs.