Klarna has introduced a new global programme aimed at expanding the use of artificial intelligence in climate adaptation, marking a notable step beyond its traditional role in digital banking and consumer payments. The AI for Climate Resilience Program is designed to accelerate the development of technologies that can help communities prepare for rising climate risks, particularly in parts of the world facing severe threats from extreme weather, food insecurity and water scarcity. The initiative reflects Klarna’s recent internal pivot toward AI driven operations and now channels that capability into a broader societal mission.

A New Strategic Direction Rooted in Klarna’s AI Transformation

Over the past two years, Klarna has restructured its business around artificial intelligence, embedding machine learning across customer service, credit assessment and operational processes. The company is using that internal experience to guide a new external focus: supporting early stage innovators who are building technology solutions for climate resilience. The programme is structured as an 18 month partnership with selected organisations, combining funding with technical and strategic mentorship so that promising ideas can scale without compromising local context or ethical use of AI.

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Six Early Stage Solutions Selected for Global Support

An independent panel of leaders in AI, climate science and sustainability selected six projects from across the world. Each one addresses a different dimension of climate adaptation. In India, SEEDS is building systems that use AI and satellite imagery to verify disaster losses within hours rather than weeks, potentially unlocking faster relief and insurance payouts. Acres of Ice is experimenting with artificial glaciers by harnessing winter water surpluses to support high altitude communities during dry months. Geotek Water Solutions in Nigeria is mapping deep underground water reserves with AI, giving rural communities more reliable options during drought. The programme also includes a collaboration between India’s Self Employed Women’s Association and IFPRI, which is developing an AI driven mobile advisory service that helps women workers anticipate weather disruptions. Indonesia’s Sakawarga Foundation is piloting an AI powered resilience coach for village level risk management. GainForest in Latin America is deploying AI models to map biodiversity and generate verifiable conservation data that supports Indigenous land stewardship.

Strong Global Demand Signals Rising Interest in AI for Climate Adaptation

Klarna received more than twelve hundred submissions following its call for proposals, with applications spanning early warning technologies, climate smart agriculture, satellite based ecosystem monitoring and generative AI tools for community education. The volume and diversity of submissions from Africa, India, Latin America and Southeast Asia indicate that AI enabled climate adaptation is emerging as a distinct innovation field, driven as much by local entrepreneurs as by major research institutions. Klarna has positioned the programme as an entry point for organisations that lack access to high quality technical infrastructure but have deep understanding of community needs. The company aims to use its global reach to raise visibility for climate solutions that might otherwise struggle to secure funding.

Industry Leaders Highlight the Importance of AI in Localised Climate Response

Klarna’s Chief Marketing Officer David Sandström described the programme as an effort to translate complex environmental information into tools that can guide everyday decision making. He framed the initiative as an extension of Klarna’s expertise in using AI to support consumers in navigating financial choices, noting that the same analytical capabilities can help communities prepare for climate driven challenges in food systems, water supply and health. Rachel Adams, who leads the Global Centre on AI Governance in South Africa, emphasised that the initiative gives prominence to organisations operating on the climate frontlines. She noted that early stage innovators often lack opportunities to scale despite producing deeply contextual solutions that reflect local ecological realities and community priorities.

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A Growing Intersection Between Fintech, AI and Climate Resilience

Although Klarna is not typically associated with climate policy or environmental technology, the initiative underscores a broader shift in which digital banks, payment platforms and fintech companies are expanding their sustainability roles. As artificial intelligence becomes central to risk modelling, supply chain planning and weather forecasting, technology firms with significant data capabilities are increasingly participating in climate adaptation efforts. Klarna’s programme suggests that private sector actors outside the traditional climate finance ecosystem may become key contributors to adaptation innovation, particularly in regions where public resources are stretched. The evolution of the initiative over its first 18 months will serve as an early test of how effectively AI driven tools can be scaled in communities facing intensifying climate pressures.

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