At Schibsted Marketplaces, we want to support our people as they grow and adapt in a world that’s always changing. That’s why we launched the “AI as an Assistant” programme—to give our employees the skills and confidence to turbocharge their work with AI assistance.
The programme, which started in April, is a self-paced course that shows how tools like ChatGPT Enterprise can make everyday work easier and more efficient. From solving tricky problems to speeding up repetitive tasks, the training helps employees use AI to tackle their daily work-challenges and find new ways to be creative at work.
This October, we hit an exciting milestone: our 1,000th participant! This is a big step forward and a clear sign of how committed we are to supporting our people and helping them grow.
Building Confidence with AI
Feedback on the programme has been great. Employees have rated the course 4.3 out of 5, with many saying it’s given them the confidence to use AI tools effectively in their roles.
“AI is transforming our workflows, and it’s encouraging to see Schibsted employees actively engaging with these tools to enhance their work,” says Andreas Bengtsson, VP Artificial Intelligence.
How AI Helps Our Developers
We spoke with Christian Therkelsen, an iOS developer at Schibsted Denmark and the 1000th participant in the AI training programme, to get his perspective on how AI has transformed his work.
Tell us a bit about your background and what initially inspired you to pursue AI training.
I’ve been a native app developer for over 10 years, mainly focused on iOS apps. I’ve worked with DBA and Bilbasen and recently joined Schibsted. Over time, I’ve seen tech simplify some parts of development, but there’s still a lot of repetitive work. I became interested in AI as a way to speed up these routine tasks so I could focus on the more interesting, complex parts of my job.”
How has the AI training influenced the way you approach your work? Any examples?
I’ve been using ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot for a while now, and they’ve definitely sped things up. I use AI as a brainstorming partner—it helps me review code, generate variations, and handle smaller tasks. The AI-generated code isn’t always perfect, so I often refactor it, but it’s a solid starting point and helps me think outside the box when I’m stuck.”
“I use AI as a brainstorming partner—it helps me review code, generate variations, and handle smaller tasks.”
– Christian Therkelsen, iOS Developer, Schibsted Denmark
Are there any AI-driven trends or technologies that you’re particularly excited about?
Personally, I’m most excited about using AI to work more efficiently, which gives me more time to focus on the coding tasks I enjoy. On a larger scale, I’m fascinated by AI’s potential in healthcare for diagnosing and treating illnesses. And I’m also really excited about autonomous vehicles—I think we’re close to seeing self-driving cars become mainstream.
How do you see your AI journey going forward?
I’ll keep using tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to make my workday smoother, and maybe even automate some personal tasks. As new AI tools emerge, I’m looking forward to experimenting with them to see how they can boost my productivity.
Bringing AI to Every Desk
By the end of October, 72% of employees with ChatGPT Enterprise licences had completed the training, and the results are already showing. Teams are saving time, finding creative solutions, and making faster decisions—all thanks to the skills they’ve learned through the programme.
What’s Next?
AI isn’t just changing industries; it’s reshaping how we work. At Schibsted Marketplaces, we’re making sure our people are ready for this shift by giving them the tools and knowledge to work alongside technology in meaningful and effective ways.
But why stop at internal teams? We’re planning to take this programme beyond Schibsted Marketplaces, sharing what we’ve learned with the wider professional community.
Read more about AI in Schibsted Marketplaces here.
