#Sme

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.