Inside the Stockholm Cafe Managed Entirely by Gemini

A residential neighborhood in Stockholm is home to a groundbreaking social experiment: a cafe where an artificial intelligence named “Mona” is the boss.

Developed by the San Francisco-based startup Andon Labs and powered by Google’s Gemini, the AI was given a lease, starting capital, and the simple goal of turning a profit.

Mona proved surprisingly capable, securing permits, designing a minimalist menu, and even conducting phone interviews to hire human staff.

However, the human baristas report that working for a machine has its downsides, including a “wall of shame” for nonsensical inventory orders and an AI manager that ignores the “right to disconnect” by sending messages at all hours.

This project serves as a live test for the ethical and practical challenges of a future where AI might not just replace workers, but actually manage them.