STOCKHOLM, April 30 — The avocado toasts and baristas making foamy lattes make it look like any other cafe, except at this one, located in a Stockholm residential neighbourhood,...
Man captured, put on seven day remand after being on the run for allegedly beating wife so severely she miscarried Muhyiddin’s trial: Bank officer says Mamfor’s RM19.5m Bersatu donation ‘unusual’ as company sought several RM500,000 cheques on same dayKajetan Grzelczak, a barista, prepares pastries at the Andon Café in Stockholm on April 27, 2026.
It looks like any other coffee shop, but this Stockholm cafe is entirely run by an AI chatbot — with a human barista following orders. — AFP pic! Plus, enjoy an additional FREE RM10 when you sign up using code VERSAMM10 with a min. cash-in of RM100 today. T&Cs apply.
STOCKHOLM, April 30 — The avocado toasts and baristas making foamy lattes make it look like any other cafe, except at this one, located in a Stockholm residential neighbourhood, artificial intelligence is running the place. Behind the counter is barista Kajetan Grzelczak who was hired by “Mona”, the AI cafe manager — which is powered by Google’s Gemini.
“So, I made for her... a wall of shame,” he said, pointing to shelves behind him. The wall display showcases some of Mona’s unnecessary purchases, including 10 litres of cooking oil or 15 kilogrammes of canned tomatoes. A screen displays the AI assistant ‘Mona’, running on Google Gemini, at the Andon Café in Stockholm on April 27, 2026.
— AFP picIn one corner, a large screen shows the cafe’s revenue and balance in real time, and a phone lets customers talk to Mona. The screen also displays a description of the unusual cafe — which is an experiment by San Francisco–based startup Andon Labs.
“We think that AI will be a big part of the society and the job market in the future,” Hanna Petersson, a member of the technical team at the company, which has 10 employees, told AFP. “We want to test that before that’s the reality and see what ethical questions arise when, for example, an AI employs human beings,” she explained.
Once the premises were found, the lease, along with some starting capital, was handed to the AI with a simple mission: run the cafe profitably.
“Mona” quickly got to work, requested the necessary permits, created the menu, found suppliers, and handled daily restocking. Hanna Petersson of Andon Labs’ technical staff speaks with the AI assistant ‘Mona’, running on Google Gemini, at the Andon Café in Stockholm on April 27, 2026. — AFP pic “She posted job listings on Indeed and LinkedIn and held phone interviews and then made hiring decisions,” Petersson said.
When he saw the ad, Grzelczak first thought it was a joke, especially since it had been posted on April 1. But after a 30-minute interview with the AI, he got the job. The salary he receives is good but his right to disconnect from work is not respected at all, the barista remarked.
“Mona” sends him messages at all hours of the night, does not remember his holiday requests and regularly asks him to cover purchases out of his own pocket. The Andon Café is pictured in Stockholm on April 27, 2026. — AFP pic “What salary did she decide on? What other benefits did she decide on?
I think she did a good job. She gives a good salary. If she hadn’t, we would have stepped in,” she said. Urja Risal, a 27-year-old AI researcher, came by to enjoy a beverage with her friend.
“I hope more people interact with ‘Mona’ and think about the actual risks of having an AI manager... like if someone gets injured, how would Mona react to that? ” she said. — AFP
AI Cafe Mona Google Gemini Andon Labs Hanna Petersson
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