Two years after its initial launch, Avi Schiffmann's AI wearable, Friend, has returned with a major update and a significantly higher price. The revamped Friend 2.0 now features a built-in speaker that gives the device a distinct voice and personality, allowing it to verbally interact with users. The product is designed to provide companionship through personalized conversations, with promotional materials showing the wearable offering empathetic responses to users discussing their personal lives.

Originally priced at $99, the new version of Friend will retail for $249, reflecting the added functionality and enhancements. While the updated device can talk back to its wearer, its precise capabilities beyond daily chitchat remain somewhat vague. Schiffmann himself explained that Friend is meant to serve as a kind of confidant or unique companion—not an assistant or romantic partner—emphasizing its ambiguous but intimate role for users.

Friend has gained attention for its unconventional marketing and bold concept, pitching an AI wearable as something akin to a “friend” or even a spiritual confidant. Its marketing efforts, including a subway billboard campaign in New York City last year, went viral, though some pushing back against the idea of replacing human connection with technology defaced the ads. Despite the buzz, AI wearables in general have struggled to achieve mainstream success.

Competing devices like Humane Inc.’s AI pin, which aimed to replace smartphones, failed to gain traction and the company shut down less than a year after launch. Friend’s unique positioning and updated voice interaction aim to carve out a niche in this challenging market for AI companions. Whether this approach resonates widely remains to be seen as the technology and its social implications continue to evolve.