
Hungary Warns Wage-Hike Plan at Risk From Weak Economy
Hungary's government warned it may need to renegotiate minimum wage hikes planned for 2026 due to weaker-than-expected growth, in the latest downbeat economic outlook from officials.
The cabinet prefers to reconsider substantial minimum wage hikes if that would hurt local companies, Economy Minister Marton Nagy said at a conference in Budapest Monday. If economic or wage growth lags forecasts, the government will be open to renegotiating a previously agreed wage deal later this year, he added.
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TechCrunch
40 minutes ago
- TechCrunch
Klarna CEO says company will use humans to offer VIP customer service
'My wife taught me something,' Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski told the crowd at London SXSW. He was addressing the headlines about the company looking to hire human workers after previously saying Klarna used artificial intelligence to do work that would equate to 700 workers. 'Two things can be true at the same time,' he said. Siemiatkowski said it's true that the company looked to stop hiring human workers a few years ago and rolled out AI agents that have helped reduce the cost of customer support and increase the company's revenue per employee. The company had 5,500 workers two years ago, and that number now stands at around 3,000, he said, adding that as the company's salary costs have gone down, Klarna now seeks to reinvest a majority of that money into employee cash and equity compensation. But, he insisted, this doesn't mean there isn't an opportunity for humans to work at his company. 'We think offering human customer service is always going to be a VIP thing,' he said, comparing it to how people pay more for clothing stitched by hand rather than machines. 'So we think that two things can be done at the same time. We can use AI to automatically take away boring jobs, things that are manual work, but we are also going to promise our customers to have a human connection.' He spoke about how the company plans to balance employees and AI workers. Siemiatkowski said that right now, engineering positions at the company haven't shrunk as much as those in other departments, but he notes that this could shift. 'What I'm seeing internally is a new rise of business people who are coding themselves,' he said, adding that the challenge many engineers have these days is that they are not business savvy. 'I think that category of people will become even more valuable going forward,' Siemiatkowski continued, especially as they can use AI and put their business understanding to good use. He himself is using ChatGPT to help him learn to code and help him understand more of the data side of Klarna. He said doing this has helped Klarna become a better company. Before, he thought he would never catch up in learning what was needed to take a more present role in database conversations at the company. 'I'll take a Slack thread, I'll throw it in ChatGPT and say, 'this makes sense, right?' he said, adding that he uses ChatGPT like a private tutor. Techcrunch event Save now through June 4 for TechCrunch Sessions: AI Save $300 on your ticket to TC Sessions: AI—and get 50% off a second. Hear from leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, Khosla Ventures, and more during a full day of expert insights, hands-on workshops, and high-impact networking. These low-rate deals disappear when the doors open on June 5. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW But he is also aware that AI isn't just about employees. He spoke of the increase in scams and how it impacts high-trust societies like his native Sweden. The Financial Times recently reported on the rise of fintech scams pointing out, for example, how susceptible residents in Singapore can be to them because they are more naturally trusting of various institutions. 'And AI is obviously accelerating this,' Siemiatkowski said. Siemiatkowski also once again addressed why the company stopped using Salesforce and Workday, saying it was because Klarna wanted to consolidate its data in a way that would be easier to feed into AI. He said, for example, if Klarna wanted to gather information about one of its clients, it would have to go through the Google Suite, Slack, Workday, Salesforce, and so forth. 'We realize that the only way forward is going to be to consolidate [data],' he said, adding that the company stopped using around 1,200 small software services. About it's pending IPO? He indicated that Klarna could soon move ahead with it but was otherwise non-committed. 'I can say that I'm happy there's less turbulence in the market,' he said with a smile. And if he had a magic wand and could change one thing? He would make the U.K. part of the EU again. The crowd then erupted into applause.


Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Europe Aims to Sidestep Capital Market Impasse With New Label
A group of European countries is teaming up on a new initiative to help funnel more savings into the continent's economy, as the region tries to accelerate progress on integrating and deepening its capital markets. Officials including French Economy Minister Eric Lombard and his Spanish counterpart Carlos Cuerpo are scheduled to sign an agreement in Paris on Thursday for a label called 'Finance Europe' that would apply to certain products targeting retail investors, according to a statement by the French Economy Ministry.


Car and Driver
an hour ago
- Car and Driver
2026 BMW M3 Pricing Leaked; Up $1700 from Last Year
The 2026 BMW M3 will be considerably more expensive than the 2025 model (pictured above), with the standard model creeping ever closer to $80,000. A leaked internal memo shows price increases of $1700 across the board, moving the M3 to $79,575, the Competition to $83,775, and the Competition xDrive to $88,875. Car and Driver reached out to BMW to confirm the authenticity of the document and will update this story when we hear back. The floor for BMW M3 ownership is rising once again. An internal memo from BMW leaked to the forum Bimmerpost, and first reported by Motor1, reveals that the 2026 M3 price is jumping $1700 from last year's car. BMW Unfortunately, the price hike isn't just for the standard M3, at hits evenly across the board. The increase moves the standard M3 up to $79,575, the rear-drive Competition up to $83,775, and the AWD Competition xDrive up to $88,875. The actual model offerings from BMW continue unchanged. While it's the least powerful, the base M3 remains the only model available with a three-pedal setup—and still sends a healthy 473 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. The Competition models come in standard rear-drive, but the optional AWD xDrive setup is back. Competition models spit out 503 horses and 479 pound-feet of torque, though the downside of the more powerful models is that they're only offered with an eight-speed automatic transmission. According to the memo, production of the 2026 model is scheduled to start in July, and the increased pricing has already gone into effect for cars ordered now. Car and Driver reached out to BMW to confirm the veracity of the document and will update this story when we hear back. Jack Fitzgerald Associate News Editor Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio