"AI Startup's Subway Ads Become Canvas for Public Backlash, Ethical Debates"

Avi Schiffmann, a 22-year-old founder and CEO of AI wearable startup Friend, has launched a $1 million subway advertising campaign in New York City, marking what he describes as "the world's first major AI campaign." The initiative, spanning over 11,000 car cards, 1,000 platform posters, and 130 urban panels, features minimalist black-and-white slogans such as "I'll never leave dirty dishes in the sink" and "I'll binge the entire series with you." The ads, which have become a focal point for public discourse, were intentionally designed with ample white space to provoke reaction, according to Schiffmann, who views the graffiti-laden posters as evidence of the campaign's success. "Capitalism is the greatest artistic medium," he remarked, framing the vandalism as a form of audience participation title1^[1].

Friend's product, a $129 necklace equipped with a microphone, Bluetooth chip, and Google's Gemini AI, operates in "always-listening" mode to generate responses and store interactions in a visual graph. Marketed as "your closest confidant," the device has sold approximately 3,000 units to date, with 1,000 shipped and $348,000 in revenue generated. Schiffmann, who dropped out of Harvard to pursue the project, acknowledged that the venture consumes nearly all available capital, with manufacturing and marketing costs eroding profitability. "Profitability is ideal, but right now it costs me an unfathomable amount of money if you actually use the product," he stated title1^[1].

The campaign has drawn significant backlash, with New Yorkers defacing ads with phrases like "surveillance capitalism" and "AI trash." Critics argue the device exemplifies the risks of AI-driven intimacy technologies, comparing it to dystopian scenarios from Black Mirror. Suresh Venkatasubramanian, director for technology responsibility at Brown University, likened Friend to early-20th-century "radium necklaces," warning of potential long-term harm from untested AI companionship. The product's terms of service further fuel controversy, requiring users to waive class-action rights and granting the company access to biometric data for AI training title1^[1].

Schiffmann, however, frames the backlash as a feature rather than a flaw. He designed the ads to spark debate, noting New York's "unique hostility toward AI companionship." The subway takeover aligns with his broader vision of "post-AGI companies," prioritizing emotional connections over utility. "The future is digital relationships," he asserted, citing a median user engagement of 238 daily messages as evidence of the product's social utility. Despite technical issues like lag and disconnections, Schiffmann remains unfazed, describing the campaign as a "huge gamble" aimed at securing attention in a saturated AI market title1^[1].

The startup's financial model remains fluid, with potential revenue streams including accessories and subscription services. Friend has raised $7 million in venture capital, with investors including Pace Capital and Solana's Yakovenko. While the company avoids European markets to sidestep regulatory hurdles, Schiffmann acknowledged the inevitability of legal challenges. "I think one day we'll probably be sued," he said, adding that the terms of service are intentionally "extreme" to preempt litigation title1^[1].

Industry observers highlight the campaign's strategic implications for AI marketing. At a time when global AI spending is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2025, Friend's high-risk approach reflects a broader trend of startups leveraging aggressive advertising to drive adoption. However, the product's reception underscores lingering skepticism about AI's role in addressing societal issues like loneliness. As one critic noted, "Tech companies started a loneliness epidemic by isolating people on their devices and now sell devices to cure it." For now, Friend's subway dominance-and its accompanying graffiti-remains a barometer of public sentiment toward AI's evolving relationship with human connection title7^[7].