When Ingka Group, Ikea's largest retailer, trained an AI chatbot to handle 47 percent of customer calls in 2024, 8,500 jobs were on the line. The company chose not to cut them. Instead, it retrained those workers for a new interior design service that generated €1.3 billion in revenue that year - 3.3 percent of total sales, with a projection to reach 10 percent by 2028.
How Ingka turned a cost center into a growth engine
The chatbot, named Billie, answers customer questions, provides personalized product information, and offers recommendations 24 hours a day. Wait times dropped, satisfaction scores rose, and Ingka saved more than €13 million in operational costs.
Ingka then analyzed the inquiries Billie could not resolve. The data showed a large unmet demand for interior design help. The company retrained the 8,500 call center employees to deliver premium design services. The new channel brought in €1.3 billion in 2024, equal to 3.3 percent of total revenue, and Ingka expects it to grow to 10 percent by 2028.
The Klarna reversal
In 2024, Klarna announced that an AI agent was handling 2.3 million conversations per month, cutting average resolution time from 11 minutes to under two minutes. The bot was doing the work of 700 people, and Klarna projected a $40 million profit improvement. Within a year, the company saw damage to its reputation and customer retention. The AI managed routine questions but struggled with sensitive billing conversations. Frustrated customers aired complaints on social media and Trustpilot.
Klarna began rehiring human agents and told CX Dive, "AI gives us speed. Talent gives us empathy. Together, we can deliver service that's fast when it should be, and emphatic and personal when it needs to be."
Why this matters for HR professionals
Ingka's decision demonstrates that AI can create new revenue rather than simply eliminate jobs. HR teams that map the gaps in automation can design reskilling pathways that protect employment and build new business lines. The AI for Human Resources tag on Complete AI Training compiles articles on workforce transformation, including examples of redeployment after automation. The AI Learning Path for HR Managers covers AI-driven recruitment, workforce analytics, and talent management - skills that help HR leaders plan transitions like Ingka's.
Your membership also unlocks:
