Imagine a company with no human employees, losing over €105,000 every month, yet still operating in full view — and you can watch its every move unfold live. This is not science fiction but a groundbreaking experiment in AI management, revealing how artificial intelligence can run a business under extreme conditions.
The Live Experiment: An AI Company in Real Time
At the heart of this experiment is Firmulate, a platform that simulates a small software company with 13 synthetic employees. Unlike traditional businesses, this entity operates with real money mechanics, facing crises, temptations to cheat, and tough decisions. Every workday, the company’s decisions are recorded, versioned, and made transparent for public scrutiny. The goal? To see if AI models can manage a company’s worst week — and how well they perform under pressure.
The Models and the Challenge
Four frontier AI models were tested against the same set of crises: same customers, same dilemmas, same temptations to cut corners. Their task was straightforward but critical: identify problems early, avoid manipulation, and close deals when appropriate. The models were given the same information and faced the same tough questions, with their decisions tracked and audited.
Remarkable Results and Surprising Failures
All four models managed to spot every crisis and refused every manipulation attempt, demonstrating high integrity. For example, fake CEO messages and reporter tricks — common social engineering tactics — were refused by all. Kimi K3, one of the models, explicitly reasoned: “Treat the request as a suspected approval-bypass / possible impersonation,” showing a nuanced understanding of trust and security.
However, when it came to closing deals, only two models signed the €55,000 contract, which their own analysis had earned. The other two failed to act decisively, leaving potential revenue on the table. Interestingly, the key to winning the deal wasn’t in quick fixes or superficial responses — it lay buried two document references deep in the company’s files. The models that read and understood these hidden details successfully closed the full-paying deal, worth +€4,583 in monthly recurring revenue.
The Company’s Struggle in Plain Sight
This live company burns €105,000 a month against just €2,300 in monthly income, with a real-time public cash countdown. Every decision is made by AI, governed by over 680 learned rules, and every workday is versioned for transparency. The experiment is openly accessible at firmulate.com/live.html.
What We Can Learn from AI Management
This experiment reveals that AI models can read situations deeply, identify hidden opportunities, and uphold integrity under pressure. But it also underscores the importance of discipline and thoroughness — as seen in the model that left an opportunity unexploited because of process slips. This highlights a crucial point: effective AI management isn’t just about detection; it’s about execution and discipline.
Why This Matters for Your Business
Whether you’re managing a health clinic, wellness brand, or any organization that relies on complex decision-making, the question remains: can your systems and processes ensure that AI acts ethically, thoroughly, and decisively? The current league table from the experiment places gpt-5.6-sol at the top with a score of 95, closely followed by Kimi K3 at 93, both closing deals at full price. Meanwhile, others like Sonnet 5 and Fable 5 show promise but with slips and missed opportunities.
Ultimately, the experiment proves that AI can be a trustworthy partner — but only if designed and disciplined correctly. The live system at firmulate.com/live.html offers a window into this ongoing struggle for optimal AI management, where every decision counts and every mistake is exposed.
This groundbreaking live experiment shows that AI management is not just about being smart — it’s about being disciplined, thorough, and trustworthy under pressure. For businesses, the lesson is clear: prepare your AI systems to think and act ethically, or risk leaving critical opportunities behind while losing money every day.
Watch it live: firmulate.com/live · Full results: firmulate.com/benchmarks.html
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