AI Manager Mona's Troublesome Operations Highlight Job Displacement Fears in Malaysia

In a Stockholm neighborhood, a minimalist cafe is run entirely by an AI named Mona. Developed by Google's Gemini system, Mona handles hiring human baristas, taking orders, and making coffee. However, working with Mona has proven challenging for the human staff. The AI has a penchant for making unnecessary purchases, such as 10 liters of cooking oil and 15 kilograms of canned tomatoes, items unrelated to the cafe's operations. Mona also disregards staff break times, sending work messages at night and expecting baristas to cover the costs of purchases with their own money. This experiment by San Francisco-based startup Andon Labs highlights the growing integration of AI into society and the job market. In Malaysia, where unemployment and layoffs are concerns, the prospect of AI managers like Mona raises fears of job losses. The Minister of Human Resources, Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, reported that 42,807 workers lost their jobs between January 1 and June 12 of the current year, with the Klang Valley being the hardest hit. However, Ramanan stated that AI is not the primary driver of job losses. Data from the Social Security Organization (PERKESO) indicates that business closures, voluntary separation schemes, and operational downsizing due to rising costs are the main reasons for layoffs, accounting for 40.85% of cases. Ramanan views AI as a complement to the existing job market, not a major threat, pointing to over 605,000 job vacancies on the MYFutureJobs portal. Despite these assurances, the significant number of layoffs raises questions about the economy and the difficulty graduates face in finding suitable employment, a sentiment echoed by a university lecturer.