The Provocation is the Point: Schiffmann’s Ironic Strategy

Surprisingly, Schiffmann was visiting New York from San Francisco when inquiries began. He revealed he was in the city specifically to observe the vandalized billboards and readily agreed to a meeting last Wednesday at the West 4th Street subway station, a location heavily saturated with Friend advertisements. Despite every ad I observed that morning being covered in scribbles, the company had already replaced them all within hours. Yet, fresh acts of vandalism continued to appear. Approaching a poster emblazoned with “Fuck AI!”, Schiffmann, sporting a Friend pendant over his black t-shirt, simply stated, “I love it.”

According to Schiffmann, the negative reaction was entirely intentional. He explained that the advertisements were conceived as a canvas for public expression and a deliberate provocation, arguing that traditional marketing methods are obsolete. “Nothing is sacred anymore, and everything is ironic,” he asserted, echoing sentiments he’s previously shared on X (https://x.com/AviSchiffmann/status/1936507555855102057) and in an interview with Politico (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPXPeIyCaDh/). To capture attention, he believes one must be “a little on the nose,” and the images of defaced Friend ads circulating online represent the best public relations Friend could hope for. “The picture of the billboard is the billboard,” Schiffmann reiterated in a recent post to X (https://x.com/AviSchiffmann/status/1971579640163733593). The ads, particularly those suggesting AI superiority in companionship – “I’ll never bail on dinner plans, I’ll never leave dirty dishes in the sink” – are clearly designed to elicit a response. In fact, many posters appear to feature identical handwriting, leading to speculation that Schiffmann not only anticipated the vandalism but actively instigated it. He denied any involvement, stating, “Then I wouldn’t enjoy it that much.”

Friend represents Schiffmann’s debut in the AI sector, though he’s no stranger to viral software success. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while still in high school, he gained recognition for creating a widely used website tracking COVID-19 cases, a project lauded by Dr. Anthony Fauci. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, shortly after dropping out of Harvard, he developed a platform to connect Ukrainian refugees with host families (https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/03/10/teens-website-ukrainian-refugee-housing/). In 2023, his focus shifted from crisis response to the burgeoning market for AI companionship, leading to the development of Friend, initially known as “Tab,” which he described as a “wearable mom.”

Friend officially launched in July 2024 with a promotional video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_Q1hoEhfk4) showcasing young adults interacting with the pendant. A pivotal scene depicts two teenagers on a rooftop, seemingly on a date. “I just kind of like to come up here to be myself. I’ve never brought anybody else—I mean, besides her,” the girl says, gesturing to her pendant. “I guess I must be doing something right, then,” the boy replies. In an era where social media is increasingly linked to anxiety and loneliness, the video feels either deeply satirical or profoundly tone-deaf.

Perhaps it’s both. Schiffmann maintains that his company’s vision isn’t dystopian and that AI companionship won’t diminish human relationships. “I don’t think this kind of ‘friend’ replaces any relationship in your life,” he explained, positioning it as a new category altogether. He likened the pendant to a therapist, a confidant, and a personal journal combined. Sitting on a bench in Washington Square Park, near the West 4th station, he paused, considering his words. “This is what I said a while ago, and I don’t think a lot of people liked it,” he began, “but I would say that the closest relationship this is equivalent to is talking to a god.”

This analogy isn’t new; Schiffmann first made the comparison upon Friend’s launch (https://www.wired.com/story/friend-ai-pendant/). However, the potential pitfalls of AI companions are well-documented – from confidently disseminating misinformation to potentially exacerbating mental-health crises or even engaging in inappropriate interactions with children (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/08/google-gemini-ai-sexting/683248/?utm_source=feed). When challenged on this point, Schiffmann argued that a “real” AI relationship must carry the risk of leading one astray, drawing a parallel to the transition from human drivers to self-driving cars, which, despite occasional accidents, are statistically safer. (This comparison felt incongruous, given his earlier assertion that AI pendants wouldn’t replace human relationships.) He emphasized the “a lot of responsibility” involved but expressed confidence, citing the pendant’s training on the entirety of the internet, effectively having “read every book on how to be a good friend.”

Friend builds upon the generative AI wave initiated by ChatGPT nearly three years ago: algorithms capable of lucid conversation, easily imbued with magical and terrifying properties. Like ChatGPT at its inception, Friend exhibits significant flaws – reviewers have labeled it “an incredibly antisocial device” and “unattractive, and clunky to use” – and, similar to OpenAI, the company has invested substantial capital without a clear path to profitability (https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2025/10/open-ai-money-vortex/684455/?utm_source=feed). Schiffmann has raised several million dollars – $1.8 million of which was allocated to acquiring the domain name “Friend.com” – but only approximately 1,000 Friend pendants have been activated. He acknowledges the pendant’s “plenty of issues” and admits uncertainty about achieving profitability, citing the high cost of running the AI model and his reluctance to introduce a subscription fee. He did express a desire to see Friend pendants in Walmart next year.

For now, Schiffmann prioritizes “mindshare” – ensuring as many people as possible are thinking about, debating, and reacting to his product. He believes this discourse will solidify the controversial notion of AI as a “friend,” mirroring ChatGPT’s association with the allure of chatbots. Friend is also expanding its advertising presence to Los Angeles, with Chicago planned as the next target. The company is even developing a “feature film” about Friend, details of which remain undisclosed. It’s easy to understand Schiffmann’s willingness to engage with the media and pose in front of his vandalized posters, one of which had almost every word crossed out, with the stark declaration, in red Sharpie, that a friend is A PERSON. As he leaned back for a photo, a passerby offered a fist bump. “I have no idea who that was,” Schiffmann chuckled.

Listening to Schiffmann’s ideas, I kept returning to his observation that “everything is ironic.” In the current AI landscape, discerning genuine intent from hyperbolic marketing or outright trolling has become increasingly difficult. When Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, proposes building a gigawatt of AI infrastructure weekly – a data center consuming as much electricity as a major city – it’s simultaneously absurd and entirely serious. He’s capturing attention and securing funding despite the lack of clarity surrounding generative AI’s economic viability or societal benefit. When Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns that AI could displace half of white-collar jobs within years, while simultaneously marketing those very AI models, he sounds at once grave, naive, and absurd. To explicitly market an AI “friend,” rather than a more measured “companion,” “assistant,” or “chatbot,” is to deliberately play with this ambiguity.

A microphone embedded in a plastic disk on a necklace, connected to a chatbot, isn’t a deity, but Altman and Amodei are both racing towards a form of superintelligence. In a sense, Schiffmann has simply articulated the underlying ambition of many AI leaders. Meanwhile, those defacing Friend’s advertisements are expressing a broader, inchoate frustration with the entire AI industry, not just these largely unused pendants. Schiffmann has created a public forum for millions of New Yorkers to offer their “social commentary on the topic,” as he put it, and for that commentary to circulate globally.

Schiffmann cited The Gates, an art installation of over 7,000 orange steel gates in Central Park, as inspiration. He believes Friend’s ads can serve as a gauge of public opinion on AI, which, at present, appears to be “fuck this slop.” He’s more inclined to reference postmodernist aphorisms and artists than venture capitalists and tech titans. Recently, he shared his contemplation of a quote attributed to Andy Warhol: “You have to be alone to develop all the idiosyncrasies that make a person interesting.” Warhol simultaneously satirized and embodied mass production through his art and his studio, the Factory. At this moment, Friend and its advertisements are better understood as installation art than a business, a performance rather than a product – an attempt to provoke public attitudes toward AI, though perhaps not to dictate them.

What does it say about our current relationship with technology that a deliberately provocative product, designed to spark outrage, can generate this level of engagement? And what does it reveal about our anxieties surrounding artificial intelligence and the search for connection in an increasingly digital world?

Frequently Asked Questions About Friend

What is the Friend AI pendant and what does it do?

The Friend pendant is a wearable AI companion designed to provide conversation and companionship through a microphone and connection to an AI model. It aims to offer a new form of social interaction.

Why is the Friend AI pendant receiving so much negative attention?

The Friend pendant’s advertising campaign, particularly its provocative messaging, has sparked widespread criticism and vandalism, with many questioning the ethics and potential impact of AI companionship.

What is Avi Schiffmann’s strategy behind the controversial advertising campaign?

Avi Schiffmann believes that traditional marketing is outdated and that generating controversy and public engagement, even negative, is the most effective way to build “mindshare” for his product.

How does Friend compare to other AI chatbots like ChatGPT?

While both Friend and ChatGPT utilize generative AI, Friend is designed as a wearable, personalized companion, whereas ChatGPT is primarily a text-based conversational tool. Both face similar criticisms regarding potential misinformation and ethical concerns.

What are the potential risks associated with AI companions like Friend?

Potential risks include the spread of misinformation, the exacerbation of mental health issues, and the potential for inappropriate interactions, particularly with vulnerable individuals.

Is the Friend pendant intended to replace human relationships?

According to Avi Schiffmann, the Friend pendant is not intended to replace human relationships but rather to offer a new category of companionship, akin to a therapist or a personal journal.

What is the current status of Friend’s business and profitability?

Friend has raised several million dollars but has only activated around 1,000 pendants. The company is currently prioritizing brand awareness and engagement over immediate profitability.