Friend, an AI pendant worn on a necklace, has released a second version that can now speak aloud to users using OpenAI's latest models, priced at $249.
The device aims to be a digital companion for long conversations, each with a randomly assigned voice and personality the user cannot modify.
The product has drawn significant public backlash over concerns that it promotes unhealthy dependence on AI and devalues human interaction, though CEO Schiffmann says he sold 5,000 of the first version and aims to sell 50,000 of the new one.
What happened
Friend, the AI pendant worn around the neck, released its second version on Thursday with a speaker that lets the device respond aloud instead of only via text message. The new pendant runs OpenAI's latest models and comes with a random pre-set voice and personality that users cannot change. The price has risen from the original $129 to $249, with an optional $10 monthly subscription for extended conversation memory beyond 30 days.
Why it matters
The device marks a shift from silent text-based companionship to a wearable that talks to you throughout the day. CEO Avi Schiffmann says he sold 5,000 units of the first version and now aims to sell 50,000 of the second version. However, the product has faced significant public resistance—earlier ads placed in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Paris in 2025–early 2026 sparked protest and graffiti over concerns that an AI companion devalues human connection.
What to watch
Schiffmann says he will likely withdraw the product from the European Union because complying with data privacy regulations (GDPR) makes it too expensive to sell there. An accessories collection with colored cords is planned for release later this year. Customers can purchase the pendant now on Friend.com, a domain Schiffmann acquired for $1.8 million.
Friend CEO Avi Schiffmann unveiled the second iteration of his AI companion pendant on Thursday. The original Friend, released in 2024, was an always-listening wearable that responded only via text message and cost $129. The new version adds a speaker on the back, allowing the pendant to voice its responses aloud. The bulkier underside with the speaker has reshaped the pendant from its original form. The device now runs OpenAI's latest language models, a significant upgrade in AI capability.
Each pendant comes with a pre-assigned random voice and personality that users cannot modify, locking them into a specific Friend for the life of the device. The new pendant retails for $249—a substantial $120 increase from the original price. An optional $10 monthly subscription extends the device's memory of conversations beyond the standard 30-day window. Users can purchase the pendant immediately on Friend.com, a domain name Schiffmann paid $1.8 million to acquire. Schiffmann also plans to release a collection of accessories, including colored cords, later in 2026.
Schiffmann, now 24, first gained public attention at age 17 in 2020 when he built a website to track COVID-19 cases. Friend has made him far more notorious, with the product drawing comparisons to dystopian fiction. The device sparked particular controversy when Schiffmann placed ads across subway stations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago in 2025, followed by Paris in early 2026. These ads generated public protest and graffiti, creating headlines about AI's societal impact. In response, Schiffmann released four user videos featuring people who suffer from depression or profound loneliness using the device—a deliberate choice to showcase real individuals rather than productivity testimonials. He said of this approach: "That's life, isn't it? I'm so much more intrigued to see how it's affecting the people in those random Appalachian towns or whatever than it is [creating] slight productivity gains for finance people in New York."
Schiffmann has framed the device and its controversy as both a genuine product and an artistic statement reflecting his own character and sensibilities. He emphasizes analog elements in his own life—no home internet connection, vinyl record player, and a documentary shot on Kodak Ektachrome film—and describes the ad campaign itself as analog in using print media. However, he acknowledges Friend is "an inherently egomaniacal ambition" and describes it as "both real but also, like, ridiculous." He sold 5,000 units of the first version and now targets 50,000 sales of the second version. However, he has indicated he will likely withdraw the product from the European Union due to the cost of compliance with GDPR data privacy regulations.
Friend's second iteration represents a move toward more immersive AI companionship, shifting from silent notification-based interaction to always-present voice dialogue. The price increase from $129 to $249 signals confidence in demand despite widespread public skepticism—Schiffmann's earlier subway ad campaign in major U.S. cities and Paris in 2025–early 2026 triggered significant protest and graffiti, with critics arguing the device threatens human connection and dignity. Yet Schiffmann frames this controversy as deliberately crafted and part of a larger artistic vision. He has explicitly shown users from isolated areas rather than productivity-focused professionals, suggesting the device targets emotional rather than functional needs.
The product's trajectory sits at an intersection of genuine commerce and provocative messaging. Schiffmann achieved his initial sales target of 5,000 units and now aims for 50,000—suggesting real market demand despite the criticism. At the same time, his focus on filmmaking, his choice to feature "lonely weirdos" in marketing videos, and his framing of Friend as an expression of his own character suggest the product may be as much a vehicle for artistic and cultural commentary as it is a straightforward tech business. The regulatory exit from the EU indicates real constraints: GDPR compliance is expensive enough to make that market unviable. Meanwhile, the planned accessory collection and the $1.8 million domain acquisition show infrastructure investment aimed at sustained operation rather than a temporary stunt.
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