New 'Friend' Necklace Offers AI Companionship

AI wearables like the Rabbit R1 and the AI Pin have attempted to capitalize on the popularity of artificial intelligence and have largely flopped, but that isn't stopping the creator of a new wearable device called Friend.


Friend is an AI necklace that is meant to serve as a personal companion, and in a video that could be the start to an episode of Black Mirror, it's shown providing support, encouragement, and companionship to the wearer.

The hardware component of Friend connects to an iPhone via Bluetooth, continually listening to all interactions around the wearer. Pressing a button on the necklace allows the user to speak to Friend, with a message sent to the ‌iPhone‌ in response. Friend is also able to send messages without a conversational prompt, responding to what the wearer is doing.

The Friend and its "memories" are stored on the necklace, with nothing uploaded to cloud servers. Friend creator Avi Schiffmann said in a blog post that the device is an "expression of how lonely" he's felt. In an interview with The Verge, Schiffmann said that Friend is designed to be supportive, validating, and able to encourage ideas. "It's a great brainstorming buddy," he said. "You can talk to it about relationships, things like that."

Friend is available for pre-order for $99, and it is set to launch in January 2025.

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Top Rated Comments

Jumpthesnark Avatar
19 weeks ago
Someone tell Tim Sweeney, we found what's actually super creepy ('https://www.macrumors.com/2024/07/30/tim-sweeney-find-my-creepy-surveillance-tech/').
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Exponent Avatar
19 weeks ago
A necklace AI that acts as your friend? I've seen this before, back in 1979:

Thanks to Twiki wearing Dr. Theopolis, prior art has been established.
Also, if it takes off, the estate of Glen Larson should be raking in a lot of dough!

Attachment Image
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghostface147 Avatar
19 weeks ago
There’s a difference between being alone and lonely. Crazy this is where we are in 2024 with AI that is designed to keep you less lonely.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BuffyzDead Avatar
19 weeks ago
If this is where we are headed,
The Human Race is So Effed !!!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazmac Avatar
19 weeks ago
Here is the pre-AI version of 'Friend', surprisingly this seems less creepy.

Attachment Image
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kwikdeth Avatar
19 weeks ago
Kudos to them and I hope it helps and is successful, but it also makes me sad that this is where we're at in 2024.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)