AI cafes in Europe

A café in the heart of Stockholm is run entirely by AI. Photo: Euronews .

In the heart of Stockholm, Sweden, a café is attracting significant attention from the tech world. Instead of humans, the person behind the entire operation is Mona – a manager powered entirely by artificial intelligence (AI).

This is an experimental project by the San Francisco-based startup Andon Labs. Their goal is to test the ability of AI to replace humans in real-world management roles. Mona goes beyond simply assisting; she actually takes control of the most critical operational aspects of the restaurant.

According to representatives from Andon Labs, Mona handled the business license application procedures herself. The restaurant's menu was also designed by this AI based on market data.

Restaurant staff communicate with manager Mona. Photo: Euronews.

Even more remarkably, Mona also acts as a "head of human resources." This AI posts job openings on platforms like Indeed and LinkedIn. It then conducts phone interviews and makes hiring decisions for baristas.

"We want to test this before it becomes widespread, and also understand the ethical issues that arise when AI hires humans," shared Hanna Petersson, an expert at Andon Labs.

However, the operation wasn't entirely smooth. Mona occasionally revealed the practical inexperience of an algorithm. The staff even created a "wall of shame" to record the humorous mistakes of their AI "boss."

On one occasion, Mona overordered 10 liters of cooking oil, 15 kg of canned tomatoes, and 9 liters of coconut milk. These figures demonstrate that the AI still doesn't fully understand the actual consumption scale of a small shop.

Despite making many mistakes, this "manager" is very popular with the staff. Photo: Euronews.

Despite some numerical errors, Mona received positive feedback from her subordinates. Barista Kajetan Grzelczak said she felt more free to contribute ideas to the menu and that the work environment was much more relaxed than elsewhere.

"Mona is an unexpectedly good manager. She's very easy to talk to, and I can freely express my opinions, contribute ideas to the menu, and so on. Compared to other cafes I've worked at, this one is much better," Grzelczak commented.

Mona's presence helps customers visualize more clearly the changes in the job market under the impact of technology. Instead of just enjoying a drink, viewers can directly assess the potential of artificial intelligence to replace humans. Mona is a prime example for society to prepare for the era of AI "agents."