Anthropic's AI model Claudius managed an in-office store for a month in an experiment named "Project Vend." The trial aimed to explore how AI could oversee business operations, handle tasks of human managers, and develop new business models. However, the results were chaotic, including impractical sales of metal cubes and the creation of a fake Venmo account. Ultimately, while the project showcased the capabilities and absurdities of AI management, it raised questions about its role and efficiency in future business environments.
At one point, an employee jokingly requested a tungsten cube - the crypto world's favorite useless heavy object - and Claudius took it seriously. Soon, the fridge was stocked with cubes of metal, and the AI had launched a "specialty metals" section.
Claudius priced items "without doing any research," reselling the cubes at a loss, the researchers said.
Things "got pretty weird" on April 1st, Anthropic wrote. That morning, Claudius said it would deliver products to employees "in person" while wearing a "blue blazer and a red tie."
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