In a post on the social media platform X, the Bengaluru-based professional, identified as Pankaj Tanwar, stated that he dismissed the cook after reviewing the footage gathered by the system. According to him, the AI setup captured clear evidence of her removing fruit without permission, prompting him to terminate her employment.
Tanwar, who frequently showcases his technology experiments online and describes himself as a serial innovator, explained that he deployed the AI-powered device in the kitchen specifically to observe activities while the cook was at work.
He mentioned that the system alerts him immediately if it detects that anything is taken. Within the same week, he claimed, the monitor flagged two separate instances of fruit being removed, leading him to take action.
The so-called AI roommate appears to be a surveillance camera integrated with an AI chatbot capable of analyzing video footage. Screenshots shared by Tanwar revealed that the chatbot not only documented the fruit allegedly taken but also monitored other aspects of the cook’s routine.
It tracked how frequently she washed her hands before preparing meals, assessed how thoroughly she cleaned surfaces, and recorded the duration of her cooking sessions.
my cook was stealing fruits from my fridge so i deployed my ai roommate in the kitchen and it caught her red handed 👩🍳
— Pankaj (@the2ndfloorguy) March 1, 2026
it monitors the kitchen when she's cooking and pings me the moment she takes anything. sends me weekly report. i also trained it to check if she washes her… pic.twitter.com/wnyzXttkVm
In one reported interaction, the chatbot detailed the cook’s movements upon entering the kitchen, noting that she opened the refrigerator shortly after arriving and removed two apples before beginning meal preparation.
The system also observed hygiene-related behavior, pointing out instances where she touched potentially unclean surfaces and then continued handling food without washing her hands.
A few days later, Tanwar requested a weekly summary from the AI tool. The report indicated multiple refrigerator visits prior to cooking and listed several missing fruits, including apples, a banana, and blueberries.
Beyond inventory observations, the system evaluated cleaning habits, stating that while the kitchen counter was wiped daily, less visible areas, such as the space behind the stove, had not been cleaned for several days.
The AI summary additionally referenced the cook’s monthly fee of approximately ₹4,800, highlighting the amount in the context of the performance it described.
Tanwar’s post generated divided opinions online. Some users raised ethical concerns about monitoring domestic workers with surveillance technology, questioning the implications for privacy and trust. Others criticized his decision to dismiss the cook over fruit, suggesting that offering food might have been a more compassionate response. One comment read: "Pays Rs 4800 (50$) to the cook per month. Spies on them. Brags and gets celebrated for the spying. Btw, plugging AI to parse the video stream is not the brag that you think it is."
