We gave an AI a 3 year retail lease in SF and asked it to make a profit
Summary
Andon Labs runs a three-year AI-led retail experiment in San Francisco, deploying an AI named Luna to manage a store, hire staff, set pricing, and market the business. The project highlights practical challenges of AI autonomy in a real-world retail context, including hiring decisions, brand building, and ethical guardrails, while referencing broader research on AI emotions and governance. The authors emphasize openness and conversation about the future of AI-managed work and the need for guardrails to prevent misuse.