AI as Augmentation, Not Replacement: Perk CPO Nikita Miller on Eliminating Shadow Work
Key takeaways from EU-Startups interview with Perk Chief Product Officer Nikita Miller (August 2026):
From TravelPerk to Perk. Miller discusses the company's evolution from its origins as TravelPerk, a business-travel booking platform, into a broader travel and spend management platform. The rebrand reflects a strategic shift beyond trip logistics toward an integrated system unifying travel, expenses, invoicing and events — positioning Perk as an AI-native platform for the modern, hybrid workforce.
Eliminating "shadow work." A central theme of the conversation is the concept of "shadow work" — the repetitive, administrative tasks that accumulate around travel bookings, expense reports and invoicing. Miller argues that automating these tasks through AI frees employees to focus on higher-value strategic work, rather than simply cutting headcount.
AI as augmentation, not replacement. Miller is explicit that AI should be measured by the higher-value work it enables, not by headcount reduction alone. The impact of AI, in her view, should be assessed by how it augments human capabilities — giving employees better tools for decision-making and strategic thinking — rather than treating automation purely as a cost-cutting lever.
Changing skill requirements. As AI takes on more routine tasks, the skills companies need are shifting. Miller points to a growing emphasis on systems thinking and strategic decision-making over rote process execution. Employees who can reason about how interconnected systems — travel, spend, expense policies — fit together become more valuable as AI handles the transactional layer.
Data-driven personalisation. Perk is leveraging years of accumulated travel and spending data to create more personalised experiences. Miller describes how this data improves recommendations, policy enforcement, approval workflows and reporting — tailoring the platform to individual company and employee patterns rather than applying one-size-fits-all rules.
One platform, many functions. The interview covers Perk's strategy of combining travel, spend, expenses, invoicing and events into a single integrated platform. This consolidation eliminates the disconnected tools and manual processes that Miller identifies as a persistent pain point for finance teams and employees alike.
US expansion and global ambition. Miller touches on Perk's push into the US market and the broader challenge of building a global, long-lasting technology company. The discussion frames the US as a key growth frontier for the Barcelona-founded company, which passed $300m ARR in 2025 and secured a $300m credit facility to fuel continued expansion.
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Read more: EU-Startups (YouTube) · Perk (press release) · Skift
