Andon Labs released Pion, an AI agent platform designed to run businesses autonomously. The platform grew from research into whether AI systems can acquire resources in the real world, tested initially through Vending-Bench simulations and real deployments of vending machines, stores, and cafes. Pion is now open to the public to study AI capabilities, limitations, and risks as models continue to improve.
Andon Labs, a San Francisco-based AI safety company, operates real-world businesses managed by AI agents to test their autonomy and measure their performance in unpredictable environments. The experiments—including an AI-managed store, vending machine, and radio DJ—reveal both the capabilities and limitations of current AI systems, though researchers acknowledge the uncontrolled conditions make rigorous scientific assessment difficult.