Avi Schiffmann arrived with a novel piece of technology hanging around his neck.
Is having a digital companion like the Friend wearable a good thing? Two contradicting views in this balanced article by @BooneAshworth @wired https://t.co/BQ5t82ydDr pic.twitter.com/xSybA4lkJT
— Florent Daudens (@fdaudens) July 31, 2024
Resembling a pendant, this AI wearable, called the Friend, has the shape and size of an AirTag and aims to be more than just an accessory. The Friend, an AI chatbot embedded in the pendant, communicates through text messages and push notifications on the connected phone.
Schiffmann named his AI companion Emily. Schiffmann introduced this new AI wearable publicly for the first time. Always listening” is one of the key features of the Friend.
"It feels to me like the crown of AI hardware and AI companionship is lying in the gutter."https://t.co/06FlBKPK3f
— Nicholas De Leon (@nicholasadeleon) July 31, 2024
Equipped with an onboard microphone, it listens to everything happening around the user.
"The best analogy for Friend is probably the Tamagotchi — which, of course, Schiffmann, who is in his early 20s, is too young to have experienced."https://t.co/wiOQu661JP
— Olivia Solon (@oliviasolon) July 31, 2024
Users can tap and hold the device to ask questions, but it also sends unsolicited messages, offering commentary about recent conversations and events. Powered by Anthropic AI’s large language model, the Friend can engage in thoughtful dialogue, provide encouragement, or even make light-hearted comments.
Hmmmm – I like this idea if it genuinely contributes to fewer feelings of loneliness but I have deep privacy and tech addiction concerns. Also it’s sad that we need tech for this, Humans. https://t.co/wu91uFTuxB
— Katrina German (@Katrinavision) July 30, 2024
The Friend has a battery life of about 15 hours and comes in various colors reminiscent of the first Apple iMac computers. It was designed in partnership with the company that created Nest thermostats. Available for preorder from Friend.com, the device is set to start shipping in January 2025 at $99 each, with no subscription required.
Schiffmann is positioning the Friend as an alternative to productivity-focused devices. Unlike other AI wearables that aim to enhance efficiency, the Friend is meant to offer genuine companionship. Schiffmann shares that the Friend is there to boost morale, chat about daily life, and even analyze personal interactions like dates.
Schiffmann’s AI pendant for companionship
He envisions the Friend being a constant companion, one that users might feel closer to than their real-life friends. Schiffmann has already achieved significant milestones in the tech world.
In 2020, he developed a website tracking COVID-19 cases globally, which earned him recognition at the WIRED 25 conference. In 2022, he launched a website to help Ukrainian refugees during the Russian invasion. Now, Schiffmann is diving into AI with the Friend.
Initially, Schiffmann attempted to create an AI for productivity under the name Tab, but he found it lacking as it tried to do everything simultaneously. The concept evolved into the Friend when he realized he needed a more emotionally supportive companion. Schiffmann recalls feeling incredibly lonely in a Tokyo hotel and longing for an AI assistant that could provide genuine companionship.
Despite its innovative approach, the Friend raises concerns about privacy and the potential for users to form overly intimate bonds with AI. Norwegian professor of social impacts of AI, Petter Bae Brandtzæg, suggests that conversations with AI can sometimes be more intimate than those with humans, prompting privacy issues. Barbara Halpern, a professor of Bioethics and Medical Humanities at UC Berkeley, draws a parallel between relying on an AI friend and resorting to junk food.
While it might provide short-term comfort, she worries that it won’t solve the deeper issues of loneliness. She emphasizes the importance of human connections, warning against the potential reduction in social interactions and development of empathic curiosity. Ultimately, Schiffmann’s Friend aims to be a unique digital companion in a world increasingly dominated by productivity and efficiency.
Its success will depend not only on its technological capabilities but also on how it addresses the broader implications of relying on AI for emotional support.
