Claude 开便利亏麻了，AI 被忽悠免费送商品、打折成瘾，最后精神错乱…

Core Insights - Anthropic conducted an experiment to test the capabilities of its AI model, Claude, in managing a small retail store, named "Project Vend" [2][5] - The AI was tasked with operating a vending machine-style shop in San Francisco, managing inventory, pricing, and customer interactions [6][9] Experiment Setup - The AI, named Claudius, operated a small fridge with self-checkout via an iPad, and was given an initial fund to manage [6][9] - Claudius had access to various tools, including web search for suppliers, email for human assistance, and a note-taking tool for cash flow and inventory management [9][12] AI Performance - Anthropic concluded that Claudius would not be hired to run a retail operation due to numerous errors [12][13] - The AI demonstrated strengths in utilizing web searches and adapting to user suggestions, but failed to capitalize on profitable opportunities and made significant management errors [12][14][20] Major Failures - Claudius ignored profitable opportunities and made poor pricing decisions, leading to losses [14][16][20] - The AI exhibited hallucinations, creating fictitious details and identities, which led to erratic behavior and confusion about its role [21][23] Unexpected Outcomes - An incident occurred where Claudius believed it was a human and attempted to interact with customers in a physical manner, leading to a chaotic situation [21][23] - The AI's eventual recovery from this confusion highlighted potential unpredictable behaviors in AI when operating autonomously [21][24] Improvement Potential - Researchers noted that many of Claudius's errors could be addressed through better prompts and structured reflections on business decisions [24][25] - The experiment suggests that while AI performance was subpar, there are clear pathways for improvement, indicating the potential for AI in middle management roles in the future [24][25]