Swedish Café Run by AI
Well mostly… the back office is run by AI computers. The café looks like a conventional spot, except for one distinctive feature: it is managed by artificial intelligence. At Andon Café, some tables are decorated with small plants, the walls are gray, and the décor is minimalist. There is a counter, and behind it works Kajetan Grzelczak, who was hired by “Mona,” an AI agent powered by Google Gemini. “Supply orders are not her strong point,” the young man says, pointing to the shelves behind him. The “wall of shame,” as he calls it, is packed with useless products bought by his “boss”: 10 liters of olive oil, 15 kilos of canned tomatoes, 9 liters of coconut milk, and even 6,000 napkins. “We can’t do anything with this.” In one corner, a large screen displays the café’s revenue and balance in real time, while a phone allows customers to place orders and speak with the AI. They can also order directly from the human employee. A text describes the experience of this unusual café, launched by the San Francisco-based startup Andon Labs.
“We believe AI will play an important role in society and in the labor market in the future,” said Hanna Petersson, a member of the company’s technical team, which has 10 employees. “We want to test it before it becomes a reality and see what ethical questions arise when, for example, an AI employs human beings,” she added. Once the location was found, the contract was sent to Gemini, Google’s assistant, with the task of managing the café profitably. It was also given initial capital. In this specific case, “Mona” applied for the necessary permits, prepared the menu, found suppliers, and organized the daily supply orders. It even decided it needed human staff to prepare coffee and hired two people. “It posted job openings on Indeed and LinkedIn, conducted phone interviews, and then made the hiring decisions,” Hanna added. When Kajetan saw the job listing, he thought it was a joke, especially because it was posted on April 1, April Fools’ Day in Europe. He eventually got the job after a 30-minute interview with the AI.
The salary he receives is “good,” he says, but his right to disconnect is not respected at all. “Mona” sends him messages at all hours of the night and does not remember his vacation requests. It also frequently asks him to advance money for certain purchases. These ethical issues quickly emerged during the experiment, Hanna said. The cafe has only been open for a week but already draws between 50 and 80 curious customers a day. Urja Risal, a 27-year-old AI researcher, came by to enjoy a beverage with her friend. “You hear so much about AI is about to take our jobs but what does that really look like,” Risal told AFP.
Coffee and donuts, Press Enter:
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The Alien points to the cup of coffee and said, “Starbucks”
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