Recently,AI HardwareThere has been a lot of interest in the startup space, although early products such as Rabbit and Humane have received mixed reviews. In the midst of this buzz, a new AI device called Friend has piqued the interest of investors.
"Friend" was developed by Avi Schiffmann, a Harvard dropout who won a Wimpy Award for creating the COVID-19 tracking website. The neck-worn device is designed to be the user'sAI Companion, connects to the mobile phone via Bluetooth and continuously monitors the user's voice to alleviate loneliness.
Source: Friend
Schiffman has raised $2.5 million in funding from a number of high-profile investors, valuing the company at $50 million. Investors include Raymond Tonsing of Caffeinated Capital, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas and other techies." Friend" is scheduled to be available for pre-order for $99 and is expected to ship in January 2025.
Unlike other AI devices, "Friend" is not focused on productivity, but rather as an emotional toy. Users can talk to the device via buttons and receive in-app responses. Thanks to constant listening, the device can also send proactive messages, such as wishing good luck before a job interview.
Source: Friend
Schiffman believes that the hardware format provides a better emotional connection for users than an app alone. He emphasized that "Friend" is not designed to be a therapist or a work assistant, but simply an AI friend to talk to.
While the concept of "Friend" has raised some privacy concerns, Schiffman said the company does not store recordings and that users can delete text logs at any time. It remains to be seen whether the device will stand out in the highly competitive AI hardware market.