AI hardware startup CEO after people damage $1 million ad: Doesn’t feel like that expensive

AI hardware startup Friend’s CEO Avi Schiffman isn’t much affected after the company’s ads were damaged. Talking at a recent episode of the Access podcast, he described the public response to his company’s seven-figure New York City subway ad campaign as “entertaining,” even after many ads were defaced with anti-AI graffiti. Friend, which sells an AI companion in the form of a pendant necklace, spent over $1 million on a print campaign that included more than 11,000 subway car ads. However, New Yorkers promptly defaced the ads with phrases like “AI is not your friend,” “Human connection is sacred,” and “surveillance tool,” according to photos obtained by Business Insider. The Friend pendant is designed to listen to unprompted conversations and respond through a connected app on the user’s phone.