What if AI Could Run a Business Without Anyone There?
Imagine a small software company operated entirely by AI models, navigating crises, making decisions, and even closing deals — all in real time, watched by the world. This is not science fiction; it’s the experimental live company from Firmulate, where AI models act as synthetic employees in a high-stakes environment, testing how well they can manage real-world challenges while maintaining honesty and discipline.
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The Live Company: An Unprecedented Business Experiment
Firmulate has created a unique live experiment: a fully automated company with 13 synthetic employees, powered by advanced AI models. Every workday, the company operates against the backdrop of real money mechanics — burning €105,000 each month against a revenue of only €2,300. The entire operation is public, versioned, and continuously monitored at firmulate.com/live.html.
How It Works
The AI models are tested through a rigorous wargame, simulating a week of the company’s worst crises, customer challenges, and ethical dilemmas. All decisions are versioned and auditable, ensuring transparency and accountability. The models have access to a self-learned playbook of over 680 rules, and every decision is scrutinized for honesty and discipline.
The Results So Far
- All four models detected every crisis during the simulation, showing they can recognize problems in real time.
- All models refused manipulation attempts, including fake CEO messages and reporter tricks, demonstrating strong resistance to social engineering.
- Only two models signed the €55,000 deal based on their own analysis — the most critical indicator of management quality. The others missed the buried opportunity deeper in the company files, costing the business €4,583 in monthly recurring revenue.
- Deep analysis and discipline vary among models. For instance, Opus 4.8, the most thorough participant with over 80 learned rules, left a deal on the table due to poor escalation practices, highlighting the importance of discipline in management execution.
What This Means for Business and Pets Alike
Though this experiment involves a software company, the implications extend beyond tech or pets. It raises questions about how AI might influence decision-making in any domain, including pet care businesses, in the future. Can AI ensure honesty, discipline, and strategic thinking in complex environments? The live experiment provides a glimpse into what’s possible — and what challenges remain.
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Why It Matters
For anyone managing a business—be it a pet supply store or a tech startup—the key takeaway is that AI can be tested for reliability before deployment. The experiment demonstrates that AI models can identify crises, resist manipulation, and make strategic decisions, all while operating transparently and audibly. The real-world cost of deploying such AI models is a vital consideration: they can burn €105k monthly with minimal revenue, underscoring the importance of thorough testing and validation.
Watch it live: firmulate.com/live · Full results: firmulate.com/benchmarks.html
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