May 17, 2025

news  
Read News
Klarna Cuts Staff 40% with AI, Nvidia Stock Rises, AI in Education Debated

Recent developments in artificial intelligence have been making waves across various industries. Klarna's CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, announced that the company reduced its staff by 40% with the help of AI, which has also increased efficiency in customer service chats. However, Siemiatkowski noted that AI has led to 'lower quality' in some areas. Meanwhile, other companies like Icetana AI and Akido Labs are introducing new AI-driven solutions to improve surveillance alerts and clinical capacity. AWS has launched an AI-powered tool to shift VMware workloads to the cloud, while Nvidia's stock has risen after a new deal to ship US-made AI chips to the Middle East. The role of AI in education and its potential impact on jobs and human connection are also being debated. A national poll found that Americans are sharply divided on the growing influence of AI, with concerns about data privacy, emotional dependency, and job displacement.

Key Takeaways

  • Klarna reduced its staff by 40% with the help of artificial intelligence.
  • AI has increased efficiency in customer service chats, handling two-thirds of Klarna's customer service chats.
  • Icetana AI introduced the Triage Agent, an AI-driven solution for improving surveillance alerts.
  • Akido Labs raised $60 million to expand the reach of its ScopeAI system, a clinical AI system that improves healthcare access.
  • AWS launched an AI-powered tool to shift VMware workloads to the cloud.
  • Nvidia's stock rose after a new deal to ship US-made AI chips to the Middle East.
  • The role of AI in education is a topic of debate, with concerns about data privacy and human connection.
  • A national poll found that Americans are sharply divided on the growing influence of AI.
  • 54% of Americans think AI will do more harm than good in education, while 59% say it will do more good than harm in medical advances.
  • 56% of Americans believe AI will reduce the number of job opportunities in the US.

Klarna CEO says AI reduced staff by 40%

Klarna's CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, said the company reduced its staff by 40% with the help of artificial intelligence. The reduction was due to AI and natural attrition in the workforce. Klarna has been using AI technology, including an AI assistant in partnership with ChatGPT, to handle customer service chats. The company has seen a significant increase in efficiency, with AI handling two-thirds of its customer service chats. However, Siemiatkowski also mentioned that the company is implementing a hiring freeze and that AI has led to 'lower quality' in some areas.

AI still needs human touch

Chief product officers believe that artificial intelligence still needs human oversight, even for routine tasks like fraud detection. Klarna's CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, attributed a 40% staff reduction to the company's AI investments. Meanwhile, Perplexity has partnered with PayPal to power agentic commerce on its platform. Allpay, a payments processor, is using AI and cloud intelligence to increase back-office efficiency. OpenAI's website traffic has surged, with a 27% increase in traffic over the past two months.

Icetana AI launches Triage Agent

Icetana AI has introduced the Triage Agent, an AI-driven solution for improving surveillance alerts. The Triage Agent helps operators filter and prioritize security alerts, reducing the risk of critical events going unnoticed. The tool uses artificial intelligence to detect, validate, and categorize incidents, ensuring that only significant events are passed on to operators. Icetana AI's CEO, Kevin Brown, said the Triage Agent allows a single operator to oversee over 2,000 cameras, increasing precision and response time.

Akido raises $60 million for ScopeAI

Akido Labs has raised $60 million in Series B funding to expand the reach of its ScopeAI system. ScopeAI is a clinical AI system that increases clinical capacity and improves healthcare access. The system uses AI to assist medical assistants in patient visits, generating a full clinical report and preliminary diagnosis. Akido's CEO, Prashant Samant, said the funding will help accelerate the development and deployment of ScopeAI, which has already delivered 5x more face-to-face time with patients and achieved a 96 NPS score.

AWS dismisses VMware as legacy

AWS has dismissed VMware as a legacy outfit that needs to be re-platformed to the cloud. AWS has launched an AI-powered tool that can quickly shift VMware workloads into a form ready to run on its elastic compute cloud. The tool, called AWS Transform, reduces the time required for some VMware migration chores from weeks to minutes. AWS claims that partners in pilot programs have cut execution times by up to 90%. The move is seen as a challenge to VMware's dominance in the cloud market.

AI in education

The role of artificial intelligence in education is a topic of debate. While some believe AI can transform education for the better, others are concerned about its impact on human connection and critical thinking. AI can be used to boost productivity and help with task management, but it is unclear whether it will replace teachers in classrooms. The use of AI in education raises questions about data privacy, emotional dependency, and the level of control users have over AI.

Nvidia stock rises on AI chip deal

Nvidia's stock has risen after President Donald Trump announced a new deal to ship US-made AI chips to the Middle East. The deal is seen as a boost to Nvidia's dominance in the AI chip market. Nvidia's stock has jumped 16% this week, and its valuation has surged back over $3 trillion. Analysts believe the latest round of AI export approvals could help solidify Nvidia's position as the go-to chip supplier for governments and tech firms.

WiseBit AI review

WiseBit AI is a trading platform designed with precision and care. The platform offers a range of features, including detailed tutorials and helpful guides for beginners. WiseBit AI provides access to a wide variety of forex and crypto assets, allowing traders to create personalized portfolios. The platform also offers educational resources on how to build and manage a diversified portfolio. WiseBit AI's customer service is professional and responsive, and the platform is accessible on multiple devices.

Future of AI assistants

The future of AI assistants is a topic of interest, with companies like The Image envisioning AI assistants as proactive digital companions. AI assistants could potentially analyze daily habits and suggest ways to optimize routines and personal health. They could also contribute to improving health and wellbeing by tracking sleep patterns and monitoring activity levels. However, there are concerns about data privacy, emotional dependency, and the level of control users have over AI. As AI becomes further embedded in personal life, these questions will require effective and innovative answers.

Americans divided on AI

A new national poll reveals that Americans are sharply divided on the growing influence of artificial intelligence. While some acknowledge the benefits of AI in medical innovation, others are concerned about its impact on education, jobs, and independent thinking among young people. The poll found that 54% of Americans think AI will do more harm than good in education, while 59% say it will do more good than harm in medical advances. There are also concerns about job displacement, with 56% of Americans believing AI will reduce the number of job opportunities in the US.

Sources

Artificial Intelligence AI Assistants ChatGPT Klarna Customer Service Automation