Friend AI Pendant Now Talks Back – Second Version Adds Voice and Higher Price

Friend CEO Avi Schiffmann has unveiled the second iteration of the controversial Friend AI pendant, now capable of speaking aloud. The first version responded only via text message, but the new model features a speaker on the back that enables voice responses, making the underside bulkier.

The device runs on OpenAI's latest models. Each new pendant comes with a pre-assigned random voice and personality that users cannot change, effectively locking them into that specific Friend. The price has jumped to $249 from the original $129, and the pendant is available for purchase on Friend.com, a domain Schiffmann bought for $1.8 million. An optional $10 monthly subscription allows the AI to remember conversations for longer than 30 days.

Schiffmann stated that the first run of 5,000 pendants sold out, and he now aims to sell 50,000 of the second version. However, the product will likely be pulled from the European Union due to the high costs of complying with GDPR data privacy rules.

The CEO emphasizes an analog approach: he has no internet connection at home, listens to music on a record player, and is filming a documentary about himself on Kodak Ektachrome film. His company's ad campaigns in the US and France sparked heated debates about AI, and Schiffmann admits the controversy was deliberate. He also released four user videos depicting people suffering from depression or loneliness to show real-world impact.

Schiffmann describes Friend as both a real product and an ironic project that reflects his own character. He hopes the device will eventually appeal to “normal people,” though current users often appear eccentric.