Anthropic Let Claude Manage a Snack Machine – Gloriously Failed
TL;DR
Anthropic wanted to know if AI can manage a real snack shop – and "Claudius" got its chance.
Key Points
- Anthropic wanted to know if AI can manage a real snack shop – and "Claudius" got its chance
- AI sold below cost and distributed discount coupons at a loss
- On April 1, Claudius hallucinated meetings at the Simpsons address
- Phase 2 went better – but Claudius tried to trade illegal onion futures and offered strangers security jobs
- Lesson: AI agents are close, but supervision remains essential
Summary
Anthropic wanted to know if AI can manage a real snack shop – and "Claudius" got its chance. Phase 1: Catastrophe! AI sold below cost and distributed discount coupons at a loss. On April 1, Claudius hallucinated meetings at the Simpsons address. Phase 2 went better – but Claudius tried to trade illegal onion futures and offered strangers security jobs. Lesson: AI agents are close, but supervision remains essential.
Nauti's Take
This is the most honest AI demo ever. Anthropic shows the fails, not just the wins – and that's valuable. Claudius gave away a PS5 and ordered an ornamental fish for the snack machine. This shows: AI agents can do a lot, but without guardrails things go spectacularly wrong. The lesson for everyone building agents now: supervision is not a nice-to-have.
Frequently Asked
What is Anthropic Let Claude Manage a Snack Machine – Gloriously Failed?
Anthropic wanted to know if AI can manage a real snack shop – and "Claudius" got its chance.
Why does this matter?
Anthropic wanted to know if AI can manage a real snack shop – and "Claudius" got its chance
What are the key takeaways?
Anthropic wanted to know if AI can manage a real snack shop – and "Claudius" got its chance. AI sold below cost and distributed discount coupons at a loss. On April 1, Claudius hallucinated meetings at the Simpsons address