AI Startup Friend Bets On Foes With $1M NYC Subway Campaign

AI startup Friend launched a provocative $1 million ad campaign across New York City’s subways to promote its wearable AI device, which listens and responds to conversations. The minimalist ads define a “frend” as someone who listens and supports you, but they were deliberately designed to invite backlash—many have already been defaced with anti-AI messages. CEO Avi Schiffmann sees controversy as part of the marketing strategy, even though most of the company’s funds went into the campaign. The device, which sells for $129, raises major privacy concerns since it records passively, leaving users responsible for legal compliance.