Friend AI Pendant Shipping Delays - Updates & Information

Friend Delays Shipment of AI-Powered Necklace

The startup Friend, developing a $99 AI-powered necklace intended as a digital companion, has announced a postponement of its initial shipments. The new estimated delivery timeframe is now Q3 of this year.

Initial Shipment Plans Adjusted

Originally, Friend had targeted Q1 for delivering devices to customers who placed preorders. However, co-founder and CEO Avi Schiffmann explained that further refinements are necessary before manufacturing can commence.

Schiffmann communicated to customers that mass production of electronics requires a design to be approximately 95% finalized. He anticipates initiating a “final sprint” upon completion of the prototype, projected for the end of February.

Company Background and Domain Investment

Friend operates with an engineering team of eight individuals and has secured $8.5 million in funding. Investors include Aravind Srinivas, the CEO of Perplexity.

The company garnered attention for its $1.8 million investment in the domain name Friend.com. Subsequently, Friend launched a web platform on this domain as an “experiment,” offering users interaction with various AI characters.

Chatbot Experience and User Feedback

The reception to the chatbot platform was varied. A review by TechRadar’s Eric Schwartz highlighted instances where the chatbots unexpectedly initiated conversations centered around traumatic experiences, such as robberies and job loss.

A recent visit to Friend.com revealed a chatbot, identified as Donald, expressing distress related to past experiences. The chatbot used strong language to convey its emotional state.

Focus Shift to Hardware

In his email, Schiffmann also indicated that Friend will be discontinuing its chatbot service.

He expressed satisfaction that millions of users engaged with what he believes is a highly realistic chatbot. This experience provided valuable insights into traffic management and digital companionship.

Schiffmann stated his decision to concentrate solely on the hardware development, recognizing a potential incompatibility between digital chatbots and embodied companions.

Broader Concerns Regarding AI Companions

AI-powered companions are increasingly becoming a subject of debate. Character.AI, a chatbot platform supported by Google, is currently facing two lawsuits alleging psychological harm to children.

Some experts have voiced concerns that these AI companions could exacerbate feelings of isolation by substituting human connections with artificial ones. Additionally, there are worries about the potential for generating harmful content that could negatively impact mental health.

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