Vandals deface New York subway ads for AI companion pendant

October 09, 2025 Reported by AI

Critics have vandalized advertisements for the Friend AI necklace in New York subways, protesting its surveillance features and role in addressing loneliness. The campaign, launched by 22-year-old founder Avi Schiffmann, has sparked widespread backlash online and offline. While Schiffmann defends the device as a supplement to human relationships, detractors warn of privacy risks and societal harms.