I’ll begin by saying, when I unboxed Friend, I was underwhelmed. As someone who has tested a variety of AI gadgets, chatbots, and wearables, this felt different. That’s because Friend isn’t like other AI wearables. It doesn’t help you check off tasks or control your smart home; it doesn’t have a voic,e and there aren’t even any buttons on it.
Instead, it promises something more personal: a digital companion you wear around your neck that simply listens, learns about you, and responds like a…