News Summary

Friend, a startup known for its AI-powered companion necklace, has announced a delay in the shipment of its first batch of devices, moving the expected release from Q1 to Q3 of 2025. The delay is attributed to necessary hardware design refinements. Co-founder and CEO Avi Schiffmann stated that manufacturing can only commence once the design is nearly finalized. Friend, which raised $8.5 million in capital and attracted attention by spending $1.8 million on the domain Friend.com, initially offered chatbots via its web platform. However, due to mixed reception and the realization that digital chatbots and physical companions don’t mix well, the company is now shifting focus solely to hardware development. This decision highlights a broader industry concern about AI companions potentially replacing human relationships and causing psychological harm.