The New Friend AI Pendant Can Now Talk Back to You
Friend CEO Avi Schiffmann welcomes me into his palace—what he calls his large apartment in San Francisco. He sits on the couch in his living room, clad in an orange shirt emblazoned with a cartoon version of the motorcycle driven by Italian racer Valentino Rossi.
Reported by 2 outlets — WIRED, The Verge. See all sources ↓
{"Friend has released a new version of its AI pendant.","The pendant now has a speaker so it can talk back to the user.","The price of the pendant is twice what it was before.","The CEO showed the device in his San Francisco apartment.","Some people still dislike the idea of an AI friend."}
Why it matters
{"The device shows how AI companions are becoming more interactive and expensive.","It raises questions about privacy and whether people really want AI friends."}
- What new feature does the Friend pendant have?
- It now includes a speaker that lets it talk back to the user.
- How much does the new pendant cost compared to the old one?
- It costs twice as much as the previous version.
- Who showed the pendant in his apartment?
- Friend’s CEO Avi Schiffmann showed it in his San Francisco living room.
How outlets are framing the same story
These are the main editorial angles found across reporting. Use them to quickly compare what different outlets emphasize, omit, or question.
WIRED gives a personal, critical look at the product focusing on the CEO and public skepticism, while The Verge emphasizes the business side: the higher price, the speaker feature, and the advertising push.
- Coverage cardFraming signal1AngleScouting report
WIRED highlights the CEO’s personal setting and public dislike of the AI companion.
Sources1TypeAngleWIREDShows CEO in apartment, notes widespread dislike.
- Coverage cardFraming signal2AngleScouting report
The Verge stresses the higher price, speaker feature, and ad campaign.
Sources1TypeAngleThe VergeEmphasizes double price, speaker, and subway ads.