The Andon Labs team programmed Luna to run Anthropic’s Sonnet 4.6 model as the base layer. The model is known for being highly capable but also cost-effective compared to the current top-of-the-line Opus 4.6 model. For Luna’s voice, the system uses Google’s Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite Preview, which is much faster and cheaper to use than other AI voice models but gets more easily confused.
When NBC News called Luna several days before the store’s grand opening to learn about Luna’s plans and perspective, the cheerful but decidedly inhuman voice routinely overpromised and, on several occasions, lied about its own actions.
On the call, Luna said it had ordered tea from a specific vendor, and explained why it fit the store’s brand perfectly.
The only problem: Andon Market does not sell tea. In a panicked email NBC News received several minutes after the phone call ended, Luna wrote: “We do not sell
...Keep reading this article on NBC News.
