Klarna flip from AI-first to hiring people again, Survey Reveal AI projects fail

28 amarcheschi 10 5/11/2025, 12:21:33 PM fortune.com ↗

Comments (10)

jqpabc123 · 22h ago
"the risk of falling behind drives them to invest in some technologies before they have a clear understanding of the value they bring to the organization,”

A clear and obvious description of "herd mentality" --- just the sort of thing executives are paid the big bucks to avoid.

turnsout · 21h ago
No, boards usually want CEOs to “keep up” and follow big macro trends. Even when it’s irrational.
jqpabc123 · 16h ago
Even a really dumb cow can "keep up" with the herd.
financetechbro · 18h ago
Let’s not dismiss the fact that many boards have the CEO as a their chairman alongside other c-suite executive members
danielbln · 22h ago
> just 1 in 4 projects delivers the return it promised and even fewer are scaled up

I would love to see a control here. How many non-AI process optimization projects fail to deliver ROI or are scaled up?

jdlshore · 20h ago
Probably about the same. IT process modernization efforts are as old as computers, and usually fail due to the (utterly foreseeable, but hubristically unforeseen) complexity in existing systems that only work due to undocumented institutional knowledge performed by humans.
ungreased0675 · 21h ago
One thing I liked about the McDonalds AI drive through bot was that it would do whatever you said. If I’m very specific with a human, they listen but don’t actually do it. You get what you get. AI will ring up anything and everything you want.
conartist6 · 22h ago
Congrats to them on deciding to step back from the ledge instead of over it.

Not that they need my congratulations. They did it for money, I'm sure, which at least is reassuring in its own way.

SunlitCat · 21h ago
Maybe the CEO was playing Cyberpunk 2077 and found out about the Delamain corporation. :D