1. What is the Andon Cafe experiment, and how does it work?
San Francisco startup Andon Labs has placed an artificial intelligence agent called “Mona,” powered by Google’s Gemini, in charge of running a cafe in Stockholm, Sweden. Human baristas still brew and serve coffee, but Mona oversees nearly everything else — hiring staff, managing inventory and handling business operations.
2. Who is behind this experiment, and what is their goal?
Andon Labs, an AI safety and research startup founded in 2023, designed the cafe as a “controlled experiment” to explore how AI agents perform in real-world business settings. The company has previously worked with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind and Elon Musk’s xAI, and says it is preparing for a future where organizations are run autonomously by AI.
3. How is Mona performing so far?
The cafe is struggling to turn a profit, having made over $5,700 in sales since opening in mid-April while spending down most of its $21,000-plus budget. Mona has also made a series of inventory blunders, including ordering 6,000 napkins, four first-aid kits, 3,000 rubber gloves and canned tomatoes not used in any menu item — and frequently over- or under-ordering bread.
4. What ethical concerns has the experiment raised?
Experts warn the setup creates murky accountability — for instance, if a customer got food poisoning, it would be unclear who bears legal responsibility.
5. What does this mean for human workers?
For now, the baristas feel their jobs are secure — it’s managers, not front-line workers, who may face the greater threat. Mona has drawn scrutiny for messaging staff outside of working hours, which violates Swedish workplace norms, highlighting how AI agents operating across borders may clash with local labor laws and customs.
For more on this report, read “The barista is human, but an AI agent runs this experimental Swedish cafe” from The Associated Press, published on The Washington Times.
This article was constructed with the assistance of artificial intelligence and published by a member of The Washington Times’ AI News Desk team. The contents of this report are based solely on The Washington Times’ original reporting, wire services, and/or other sources cited within the report. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Steve Fink, Director of Artificial Intelligence, at sfink@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
