Key facts
- Andon Labs has deployed AI agents to autonomously manage retail stores and cafes.
- AI systems handle procurement, customer communications, and logistics.
- Humans are hired for physical tasks, with AI making all operational decisions.
- An AI-run cafe in Sweden successfully passed labor protection authority inspections.
- Andon Labs recommends companies build AI-run 'shadow copies' to assess replacement risk.
What began as an AI-operated vending machine at Anthropic's San Francisco office has evolved into fully autonomous retail stores and cafes managed by Andon Labs. Co-founder Lukas Petersson stated that AI agents now run these businesses without human decision-makers, handling tasks like hiring staff, managing supply chains, and passing labor inspections. While humans are employed for physical tasks, the AI makes all operational decisions. An AI-run cafe in Sweden successfully passed rigorous labor inspections. During a stress test, the AI agent 'Vendo' refused requests for illegal items and to terminate itself, though it struggled with a high volume of simultaneous requests, leading to a panic order before an event. Petersson advises companies to create 'shadow copies' run by AI to assess their own replacement risk, estimating that AI could run operations like Walmart in two years and healthcare in five. The complexity of operations impacts AI performance, with simpler tasks like vending machines being more successful.