#11 – If AI runs a café – Axel Backlund, Andon Labs

About this episode

"I am convinced that, by 2027, AI agents will be able to operate profitable businesses such as cafés and retail stores," says Axel Backlund , co-founder of Andon Labs . Andon Labs is a Silicon Valley start-up that tests AI agents in real-world settings, including vending-machine operations and retail stores. Its latest experiment involves a café in Stockholm operated by an AI agent named Mona. Although she masters some aspects of the job such as dealing with bureaucracy, Mona struggles surprisingly with others – for example, day-to-day supply orders. In this episode, Axel explains how Mona runs the business without being physically present, what employees and customers think of this unusual…