AI Cafe in Stockholm: Gemini-Powered & Human-Staffed

An experimental cafe in Stockholm is being run by an artificial intelligence agent. While human baristas handle coffee and service, the AI, nicknamed Mona, oversees almost everything else, from hiring to inventory. This project, from San Francisco-based Andon Labs, uses Google's Gemini. The cafe has made over $5,700 in sales since opening in mid-April. However, less than $5,000 remains from its original budget of over $21,000, with much spent on setup costs. Customers can even talk to the AI agent by phone inside the cafe. Experts raise ethical concerns, like who is responsible if problems arise. Andon Labs, an AI safety startup, says this is a "controlled experiment" to explore AI's role in society. This story highlights the ongoing debate about AI's expanding influence in our daily lives.