AI Wearable ‘Friend’ Offers Constant Companionship

The AI-powered wearable ‘Friend’ aims to provide constant companionship through an always-listening pendant, without focusing on productivity enhancement.

Key Details of the Friend Wearable: The Friend is an AI-powered pendant that listens to the wearer’s surroundings and provides commentary and conversation through text messages and push notifications:

• Developed by Avi Schiffmann, the Friend uses Anthropic AI’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet large language model to engage in conversation, offer encouragement, and even tease the wearer.
• The device has a microphone that listens to everything around the wearer by default, and can be tapped to ask questions or receive unprompted messages.
• The Friend boasts a 15-hour battery life and comes in various colors reminiscent of the first Apple iMac computers, with a design created in partnership with Bould, known for designing Nest thermostats.

Differentiating from Recent AI Wearable Failures: Unlike other recent AI wearables that aimed to increase productivity and automate tasks, the Friend focuses on providing companionship and conversation:

• The Humane AI pin and Rabbit R1 both aimed to automate tasks and increase productivity, but faced issues with competence, functionality, and practicality.
• Schiffmann believes that the “crown of AI hardware and AI companionship is lying in the gutter” due to these recent failures, and aims to create a different experience with the Friend.
• The Friend does not attempt to automate or optimize tasks, instead focusing on providing a more “vibes-based” experience centered on companionship.

Pricing and Availability: The Friend is available for preorder and is expected to start shipping in January 2025:

• The device is priced at $99, with no current subscription model attached.
• Preorders can be made through the domain Friend.com, which Schiffmann reportedly purchased for $1.8 million.

Broader Implications: While the Friend offers a unique approach to AI wearables by prioritizing companionship over productivity, it raises questions about privacy and the potential impact of constant AI interaction on human relationships and personal growth. As AI wearables continue to evolve, it will be crucial to consider the balance between the benefits of AI companionship and the potential drawbacks of relying on AI for constant interaction and support.