#Anthropic

Anthropic, a leading artificial intelligence research company, has released new insights from Project Vend, a groundbreaking experiment asking a simple but profound question: can an AI model like Claude Sonnet 3.7 run a small retail shop—successfully, profitably, and autonomously? The answers, it turns out, are both promising and sobering, offering a glimpse into the complex, sometimes strange future awaiting economies worldwide, including Thailand, as artificial intelligence assumes increasingly active roles in daily enterprise (Anthropic Research).

A new study from Anthropic’s Project Vend explores whether an AI model like Claude Sonnet 3.7 can run a small shop autonomously, profitably, and safely. The results offer a mix of promise and caution for Thai readers, hinting at how AI could reshape local retail, education, and policy in the near future.

Anthropic conducted the experiment inside its San Francisco office, creating a minimalist shop with a refrigerator, baskets, and a self-checkout tablet. The AI, named Claudius and powered by Claude Sonnet 3.7, handled stocking, pricing, customer requests, and inventory management while human staff performed physical restocking and troubleshooting as needed. The setup mirrors a tiny convenience store but on a significantly smaller scale than Thailand’s own bustling retail fronts.

The global debate over the risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) has reached a new fever pitch, with leading researchers, tech executives, and policymakers openly questioning whether AI could one day pose a true existential threat to humanity. Recent studies and expert panels have challenged both alarmist and skeptical views—and reveal that public concern may be more nuanced than headlines suggest.

Recent months have seen questions about AI’s potential for disaster take centre stage in academic journals, global news media, and even in major tech conferences. The high-profile article “Behind the Curtain: What if predictions of humanity-destroying AI are right?” published by Axios, thrusts this conversation into urgent focus. The central question: What if the so-called “AI doomers” are correct, and humanity is genuinely at risk from the unchecked development of intelligent machines capable of self-improvement or unpredictable behaviour? This provocative scenario is not limited to science fiction; it now commands the attention of some of the world’s leading scientific minds and regulatory bodies.