Need something to lend an ear? The founder of a new wearable necklace called “Friend” says it will be shipping to consumers starting in 2025, listening to owners using Bluetooth and texting them messages.
Each Friend necklace will always be listening to the wearer and their surroundings if it is connected to Bluetooth. Users can also press a button on the necklace to talk to it directly.
A phone is required to use Friend and its app, and the app is currently only supported by Apple iOS devices.
AI is used to listen to the user’s audio and to write them messages. The user’s AI companion and their data are stored in the necklace, though no data is stored past the AI’s “context window” and all saved memories can be deleted through the phone app.
Pre-orders of the necklace will be shipping to U.S. and Canadian consumers starting in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. Each necklace costs $99.
The founder of Friend, Avi Schiffmann, posted a video on X on Tuesday illustrating how the device works. Later versions could include cameras so that the AI Friend could react to the wearer’s surroundings, Mr. Schiffmann said in a reply.
Some reactions on X were skeptical. Technology reviewer Marques Brownlee wrote in a reply to Mr. Schiffmann, saying “Wait this isn’t a skit?”
Another user compared the necklace to the 2013 Joaquin Phoenix movie “Her,” in which his character fell in love with an AI virtual assistant on his phone voiced by Scarlett Johansson.
Compared to a virtual assistant program designed to help with tasks, Mr. Schiffmann said that Friend is an “emotional toy.”
“I think the always listening part is so important, because it really does feel like you’re doing things together. And because you have a physical embodiment of your AI friend, it feels like it’s there with you,” Mr. Schiffmann told technology news website GeekWire.
Others pointed out that Mr. Schiffmann’s company had acquired the Friend.com domain name. He raised $2.5 million to start up the company, but the domain set him back over $1.8 million, he told online technology publication 404 Media.
“It’s real! Premium domains are expensive, but it’s worth it,” Mr. Schiffmann said.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.