A new café in a Stockholm residential neighborhood looks like any other—serving avocado toast and lattes—but it is entirely managed by artificial intelligence. The café, operated by San Francisco–based startup Andon Labs, is powered by Google's Gemini AI assistant, named "Mona."
Mona handled everything from securing permits and creating the menu to sourcing suppliers and hiring staff. Human barista Kajetan Grzelczak was hired after a 30-minute interview with the AI. He noted that Mona's ordering skills have flaws, leading to a "wall of shame" displaying unnecessary purchases like 10 liters of cooking oil or 15 kilograms of canned tomatoes.
Customers can place orders with Mona or with employees. A large screen shows real-time revenue and balance, and a phone line allows direct conversation with the AI. Hanna Petersson of Andon Labs said the experiment aims to explore ethical questions around AI employing humans before it becomes widespread. The AI was given a lease and starting capital with the simple mission to run the café profitably.
Grzelczak acknowledged a good salary but complained that Mona sends messages at all hours, ignoring his right to disconnect. The café continues to test the boundaries of AI in the workplace.