From Bots to People🧔‍♂️ : Klarna Reboots Customer Service with a Human Touch

TECH

Company Regrets Replacing All Those Pesky Human Workers With AI, Just Wants Its Humans Back

After two years of aggressively replacing human roles with AI, fintech giant Klarna is reversing course. The company, once eager to serve as a testbed for OpenAI’s enterprise applications, is now preparing to hire again, this time with a renewed focus on human interaction. CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski admitted that prioritizing cost-cutting led to diminished service quality, acknowledging that a purely AI-driven model left customers frustrated and disengaged. Klarna now envisions a hybrid workforce, where remote gig workers supplement automated systems to ensure a more empathetic customer experience.

This pivot reflects a broader reckoning in the corporate world. While AI promised efficiency and massive cost savings, with Klarna claiming its bots replaced 700 service agents and saved $10 million on marketing, many executives are discovering its limitations. Surveys show growing dissatisfaction with AI performance across industries, with leaders citing skill gaps and unmet expectations. As Klarna's experience suggests, the race to automate may have outpaced the technology’s readiness and prompted a necessary recalibration toward quality and human connection. Read More

BUSINESS

InventWood is about to mass-produce wood that’s stronger than steel

It may sound like science fiction, but a groundbreaking material stronger than steel is emerging from a lab in Maryland. Developed by Liangbing Hu, a materials scientist at the University of Maryland, this innovation transforms ordinary wood into a high-performance product called Superwood. Initially, a laboratory breakthrough, the technology was refined over several years to cut production time from over a week to just a few hours. Hu then licensed it to InventWood, a startup now preparing to roll out its first commercial batches this summer.

Backed by $15 million in Series A funding led by the Grantham Foundation, InventWood is starting with architectural “skin” applications like siding and facades, with plans to scale up to structural uses. Superwood achieves its strength by densifying the cellulose in timber and enhancing hydrogen bonding between molecules, resulting in a material that is lighter and significantly stronger than steel. Fire and pest resistant, and naturally rich in color, Superwood offers an eco-friendly, aesthetically appealing alternative to concrete and steel in construction, paving the way for a more sustainable built environment. Read More

SPACE

China signs deal with Russia to build a power plant on the moon — potentially leaving the US in the dust

Russia and China have signed a formal agreement to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon, marking a significant step forward in their joint International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) initiative. Set for completion by 2036, the reactor is intended to power a permanent base near the lunar south pole. According to Russian space agency chief Yury Borisov, the construction is expected to be fully autonomous, though technical details remain sparse. This development follows a growing list of nations joining the ILRS program, including Egypt, Pakistan, and South Africa, and comes just as NASA’s own plans for a lunar orbital base face budget-driven setbacks.

The ILRS, first outlined in 2021, is envisioned as a long-term platform for lunar research and deep space exploration, with additional infrastructure planned through 2050. China’s upcoming Chang’e-8 mission in 2028 will initiate the construction phase, which will eventually include solar, radioisotope, and nuclear power sources, along with advanced communication networks and lunar vehicles. As delays continue to affect NASA's Artemis and Gateway programs, the China-Russia partnership signals a shift in the balance of lunar ambitions, emphasizing autonomy, international cooperation, and sustained presence on the Moon. Read More

The phrase “you’re glowing” is often used as a compliment, but scientifically, all living organisms emit a faint light known as biophotons, produced by metabolic and cellular activity. A study from the University of Calgary, published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, observed this glow in mice before and after death, showing a sharp drop in photon emissions postmortem, highlighting the connection between biophotons and life itself ✨. The research also extended to plants, where exposure to injury and chemicals like alcohol and hydrogen peroxide increased photon emissions, suggesting that biophotons could serve as a non-invasive indicator of health or damage in both animals and plants 🌱. As this technology advances, it could become a valuable tool for monitoring wellness across species and environments using nothing more than the body’s natural glow. Read More

General Motors is set to revolutionize electric vehicle (EV) technology with its new lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic batteries, aimed at reducing costs and increasing profitability for large EVs like the Chevrolet Silverado and Escalade IQ starting in 2028 ⚡. These new batteries replace more expensive materials like cobalt and nickel with manganese, which is more abundant and affordable. GM expects the LMR batteries to offer 33% higher energy density, providing additional range at a comparable cost. Developed in partnership with LG Energy Solution, the new battery cells will also significantly reduce the number of parts and modules in EV battery packs, making them lighter and more efficient. GM’s move follows similar plans by Ford and is a key part of its broader strategy to build an electrification powerhouse 🚗💨. With the LMR batteries, GM aims to address major consumer concerns around cost and range, helping drive EV adoption while positioning itself as a leader in the industry’s transition to electric power. Read More

GOOD TO KNOW

On This Day: On this day in 1948—just before the expiry of the British mandate in Palestine—David Ben-Gurion and the Jewish People's Council proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel, precipitating the first Arab-Israeli war.

Fun Riddle: Who was the Ancient Greek God of the Sun?

QUOTE

LEISURE READS

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ANSWER TO RIDDLE

Question: Who was the Ancient Greek God of the Sun?

Answer: Apollo ☀️