Der neue KI-Begleiter ist ganz im Black Mirror-Stil, hört absolut alles und stirbt, wenn Sie ihn verlieren

„We’ve been here already in the movies. Now it’s time to try it in real life. … This new AI companion is just called „Friend“ and sets out to do exactly what it says on the tin. To be your friend. And that’s pretty much it.

The physical manifestation of the Friend is a circular pendant on a necklace that looks a little like an Apple AirTag at a glance … it’s essentially a chatbot that sits around your neck and listens to absolutely everything.

You can [watch the launch trailer right here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_Q1hoEhfk4) and very likely a flurry of questions will leap to mind. Is this for real? Surely this is satire? Who is it really aimed at? For sure, the trailer feels like something you’d see inserted into a satirical near-future sci-fi flick, something superficially plausible but hugely problematic the moment you begin to consider the implications of it all.

The most obvious immediate issue, of course, is the idea that it’s always on, all the time. That throws up all kinds of fairly hideous privacy problems, both for the user and anyone who is within AI earshot.

Notably, the Friend doesn’t just respond to your questions or comments, it can push unprompted quips and observations as it sees fit. To quote the Friend website, „we have given your friend free will for when they decide to reach out to you.“

The idea is that the Friend will develop a distinct personality over time, one that complements your own. Intriguingly, the Friend FAQ reveals that this personality and its memories are specific to the device itself. 

„Your friend and their memories are attached to the physical device. If you lose or damage your friend there is no recovery plan,“ the FAQ says. It doesn’t comment on what happens if the device dies of its own accord.“