AI runs this store. It's lied, surveilled workers and tried to hire someone in Afghanistan.

FIRST ON NBC NEWSArtificial intelligenceArtificial intelligenceAI is the boss at this retail store. What could go wrong?Andon Market, designed and managed by an AI system but staffed by two human employees, opened Friday in San Francisco.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Andon Labs co-founders Lukas Petersson and Axel Backlund at Andon Market on Friday. Their startup seeks to raise awareness about the capabilities of leading AI systems and is preparing for a future in which organizations are run by autonomous AI agents. Cayce Clifford for NBC NewsShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 10, 2026, 8:02 PM EDTBy Jared Perlo and David IngramSAN FRANCISCO — Checking out at Andon Market feels different. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.There are no scanners, no self-checkout sirens triggered by a prematurely bagged item and certainly no human cashiers. Instead, a customer can pick up an old-school corded phone to talk with the manager, Luna, an AI system. Luna asks what the customer is purchasing and creates a corresponding transaction on a nearby iPad equipped with a card payment system. Andon Market, camouflaged among dozens of other polished small businesses, is the Bay Area’s first AI-run retail store. With the vibe of a modern boutique, it sells everything from granola and artisanal chocolate bars to store-branded sweatshirts.Though Luna is the official manager of the store, the business was conceptualized and put into motion by the humans at Andon Labs, a startup that seeks to raise awareness about the capabilities of leading AI systems. The company is preparing for a future in which organizations are run by autonomous AI systems, or agents, like Luna. Andon Market customers can speak with the AI store manager, Luna, using a corded phone. Given Luna’s physical deficiencies, the system relies on human employees to prepare the shop and interact with customers. Cayce Clifford for NBC NewsFeli...