Friend
[commercial]wearable · food-service · 1 deployments in catalog
Verified: Friend is an always-listening wearable AI companion pendant by Friend (founder Avi Schiffmann), now shipping to the US, Canada, and EU at $129 (it was a $99 preorder in 2024). It is an emotional-companion device that texts the wearer, explicitly not a productivity recorder. A ~$1M New York subway ad campaign in late 2025 drew significant public backlash (ads were defaced)., Verified funding: Raised about $2.5M at a $50M valuation (led by Caffeinated Capital); the friend.com domain was bought for ~$1.8M. Perplexity involvement is CEO Aravind Srinivas personally as an angel, not Founders Fund., Status correction (vs dispatch): The dispatch labeled Friend research/promised; verified state is SHIPPING (commercial). Recorded maturity=commercial., Category: AI-native wearable; form_factor=wearable. The companion/emotional sub-cohort (distinct from the productivity recorders Plaud/Limitless/Bee).
Manufacturer
FriendForm Factor
wearable
Lifecycle
commercial
Operational Reality
Audited
Deployments
1
Target Price
$129 (actual sale price)
- COMMERCIAL
Description
Friend is an always-listening wearable AI companion pendant (a necklace) made by the startup Friend, founded by Avi Schiffmann. Unlike the productivity recorders in this cohort, it is an emotional-companion device that texts the wearer. It is shipping to the US, Canada, and EU at $129 (it launched as a $99 preorder in 2024). A roughly $1M New York subway advertising campaign in late 2025 became a flashpoint for public backlash against consumer AI. Friend raised about $2.5M at a $50M valuation (led by Caffeinated Capital, with Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas as an individual angel); the friend.com domain was purchased for about $1.8M. The registry records it at commercial maturity, correcting the dispatch's preliminary research/promised label: it is verifiably shipping.
Key facts & specs
- website
- https://friend.com/?page=hardware
- maturity
- commercial
- lifecycle
- active
- manufacturer
- Friend
- deployments count
- 1
- Maturity stage
- commercial
- Battery
- 15 h
- Pricing
- $99 preorder (2024) -> $129 current retail; one-time, no subscription at launch
- Function
- always-listening AI companion that texts the wearer (emotional companionship, NOT productivity)
- Form Factor
- wearable AI companion pendant (necklace)
- Price
- $129 one-time (includes 20 hrs/mo free); $29/mo unlimited plan optional
- Funding
- Raised about $2.5M at a $50M valuation
- Status
- Shipping to the US, Canada, and EU
- Pricing model
- one-time, no subscription at launch
Availability and pricing
- price
- $129 (actual sale price) · as of 2024-07-31
- lead time
- Not disclosed
- sales model
- Not disclosed
- availability
- Not disclosed
- units in field
- Not disclosed
- pricing Model
- Not disclosed
Safety record
No incidents on record for Friend.
FAQ
What is Friend?
Friend is an always-listening wearable AI companion pendant (a necklace) made by the startup Friend, founded by Avi Schiffmann. Unlike the productivity recorders in this cohort, it is an emotional-companion device that texts the wearer. It is shipping to the US, Canada, and EU at $129 (it launched as a $99 preorder in 2024). A roughly $1M New York subway advertising campaign in late 2025 became a flashpoint for public backlash against consumer AI. Friend raised about $2.5M at a $50M valuation (led by Caffeinated Capital, with Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas as an individual angel); the friend.com domain was purchased for about $1.8M. The registry records it at commercial maturity, correcting the dispatch's preliminary research/promised label: it is verifiably shipping.
How much does Friend cost?
Friend is listed at $129 on the DEPLOY registry. This is an actual sale price on record.
Is Friend actually deployed in the real world?
Yes. Friend is independently verified in real-world operation on the DEPLOY registry, confirmed at named deployment sites with primary sources: not a concept, render, or demo-only.
Who makes Friend?
Friend is made by Friend, based in unknown, founded in 2024.
Where is Friend deployed?
1 verified deployment of Friend is on the DEPLOY registry, including at New York.
Can you buy Friend?
Friend is available for purchase - a real sale price is on record (see the pricing section for the figure and its source).
What are alternatives to Friend?
On the DEPLOY registry, comparable wearable robots to Friend include Synchron Stentrode, Bee AI Wearable, Bee Pioneer, Esper Hand.
How does Friend compare to Synchron Stentrode?
Friend and Synchron Stentrode (Synchron · 5 deployments) are both wearable robots on the DEPLOY registry. Friend has 1 verified deployment on record. Compare both records for specs, safety, deployments, and verified-vs-claimed autonomy.
Is Friend a top wearable?
On DEPLOY's intelligence score, which blends verified deployments, safety, adoption, media, and IP signals, Friend ranks in roughly the top 20% of wearable models tracked by the registry.
What is Friend's maturity stage?
Friend is at the commercial stage on the DEPLOY maturity ladder (research, prototype, pilot, commercial, production). Commercial stage means production-grade deployments are operating at named customer sites.
Is Friend safe?
Friend has no incidents on record in the DEPLOY registry. This does not constitute a safety guarantee; it reflects the incidents DEPLOY has tracked and verified to date.
What is the Friend AI pendant?
Friend is an AI companion pendant that you can converse with anytime you are wearing it. Touch the button on the front, speak your question, and the pendant responds. Designed to combat loneliness by engaging in meaningful conversations and offering companionship.