Friend is a new AI companion that social media claims is more than just a parody

A good AI wearable is hard to come by these days. And while tech startups like HumaneAI and Rabbit R1 are trying to reinvent the wheel with minimalist versions of our smartphones, an upcoming device called Friend just wants to be there for you, if its advertising is to be believed.

Friend, a wearable AI companion resembling a ball that you wear around your neck, was created by Avi Schifmann, best known for the website he created in 2020 to help track the spread of Covid-19. According to Schifmann’s interviews with The Verge and WIRED, Friend is just that: a friend. Its purpose isn’t to get things done or increase productivity, but to provide a supportive presence, offering advice and encouragement when needed.

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Schiffmann, who has been working on the idea for years, unveiled the project Tuesday. And the reaction on social media has been less than kind. To be fair, though, the trailer is pretty.

One X user even claims — in rap form(!?) — that Friend was his idea.

It also doesn’t help that after raising $2.5 million, the founder plunked down another $1.8 million for a domain name for his company’s product.

So what we’re left with, and what was shown in the trailer, is basically a Bluetooth device strapped to your neck that’s always listening. This allows it to send you text messages to your phone. According to the site’s FAQ page, “Your buddy is always listening and creating its own inner thoughts. We’ve given your buddy free will on when they decide to reach out to you.”

Understandably, this may sound a little scary. The site assures potential buyers that nothing is tracked, logged, or saved. They promise that all data is “end-to-end encrypted” and can be deleted via the Friend app — which, FYI, is only available on iOS. Oh, and if you break your Friend, you’ll have to start over with a new one.

If you want to get your hands on it, you’ll have to wait. Pre-orders start at $99.99 and, according to the site, it’ll tentatively ship in the first quarter of next year. Maybe you’ll make some real friends in the meantime.