Massive $1 Million AI Campaign for Controversial Wearable Device, Friend, Sparks Debate on Subway Cars Across NYC

In the heart of New York City, commuters have been confronted by a series of prominent advertisements for Friend, an innovative wearable AI device.

According to reports, Friend’s creators invested over $1 million in a marketing strategy that encompassed more than 11,000 subway car cards, 1,000 platform posters, and 130 urban panels. Some stations, such as West 4th Street, have been almost entirely taken over by Friend advertisements.

The CEO of Friend, Avi Schiffman, referred to this campaign as the world’s first major AI marketing initiative. He described it as a significant risk, acknowledging that “I don’t have much money left” post the campaign.

The $129 Friend device has been met with controversy, with critics from Wired questioning its constant surveillance and proclaiming, “I Hate My Friend.” Similarly, some of the Friend advertisements have been defaced with messages labeling it as “surveillance capitalism” and encouraging onlookers to seek out genuine human connections instead.

Schiffman acknowledges the general skepticism towards AI in New York, stating that he purposefully designed ads with large expanses of white space to stimulate public discourse on the topic.