Two AI initiatives named FRIEND, every led by totally different builders, are on the heart of a ‘Twitter Beef’ over their distinct approaches to AI expertise.
Nic Shevchenko and Avi Schiffmann are behind the 2 distinct AI initiatives, sparking debate over privateness, open-source versus business growth, and the moral implications of AI companions. Shevchenko’s FRIEND is an open-source AI wearable that data conversations and provides summaries and recommendation. In distinction, Schiffmann’s Good friend.com supplies a business AI companion that includes a conversational AI designed for emotional help and companionship.
Shevchenko sarcastically congratulated Schiffmann on the launch of Good friend.com with a ‘rap diss observe‘ within the vein of Kendrick Lamar vs Drake, like one thing out of the TV present Silicon Valley. He additionally supplied to struggle Schiffmann, posting an image of him flexing together with his FRIEND round his neck. Shevchenko claimed that Schiffmann “jacked his type” and he “spent a mill on a reputation, can’t ship a factor” after he reportedly spent $1.8 million of the $2.5 million he raised on the area buddy.com. The FRIEND system launched first by way of its firm, Based mostly {Hardware}, whereas Schiffmann reportedly registered the buddy.com area title earlier. Schiffmann’s preliminary undertaking title was Tab, which was later rebranded as Good friend.
Shevchenko’s FRIEND emphasizes transparency and neighborhood involvement. It’s an open-source customizable system that customers can construct and modify. It’s powered by the nRF52840 chip and boasts a battery life exceeding 24 hours. The undertaking has engaged the neighborhood by way of Kickstarter and design contests, reflecting Shevchenko’s philosophy of accessible and clear expertise growth. FRIEND is out there in a ‘dev package’ for £39 on the undertaking’s web site, which comes within the type of a 3D printed system that interfaces with a cellular app obtainable on iOS and Android.
Alternatively, Schiffmann’s Good friend.com is a consumer-oriented product priced at $99. It encompasses a small, pendant-like system with a 15-hour battery life related to a smartphone by way of Bluetooth. The AI, pushed by fashions like ChatGPT, listens to conversations and provides personalised responses, aiming to offer companionship moderately than simply productiveness enhancements. The launch video exhibits a number of customers interacting with the system whereas consuming, watching TV, and even on a date. One scene exhibits a consumer commenting on how she takes ‘her’ in every single place in regards to the buddy.com pendant. Schiffmann’s undertaking has garnered important funding and a focus, highlighted by the acquisition of the area buddy.com for $1.8 million, indicating a stable push towards broad client adoption.
A big PR push on July 31 for buddy.com has seen protection in a number of information shops for the companion system, with many commenting on its launch video’s similarity to a Black Mirror episode. In distinction, Shevchenko’s system acts extra like a ‘second mind,’ listening to conversations and offering summaries which might be searchable and accessible by way of the supporting in-app chatbot. It permits customers to take notes in conferences with out breaking focus or shortly recall the names of recent acquaintances with out embarrassment.
The broader X (previously Twitter) discourse surrounding these initiatives reveals divergent views. Privateness is a central concern, with customers questioning the implications of units that constantly hearken to conversations. Specific scrutiny is given to how these initiatives handle consumer knowledge, particularly given the non-public nature of the interactions they facilitate. Some argue that whereas Shevchenko’s open-source strategy provides extra transparency, it doesn’t completely mitigate privateness considerations. Nonetheless, the dev kits permit customers to replace API endpoints in-app to their very own endpoints. Others categorical skepticism about Schiffmann’s business mannequin, fearing a possible over-reliance on AI companions that might alter human relationships.
The controversy extends to the character of human interplay, with considerations about AI’s affect on social dynamics. Critics fear in regards to the results of utilizing AI for companionship, suggesting it might result in a diminished want for human connection. Conversely, some supporters worth AI’s potential to offer emotional help, notably for people missing social interplay.
Shevchenko’s initiative stands out for its open-source ethos, inviting neighborhood engagement and fostering innovation by way of transparency. Schiffmann’s undertaking, nevertheless, represents a extra conventional business strategy, aiming for a elegant consumer expertise and broader market attain. The contrasting methods spotlight a elementary divide within the tech neighborhood: the steadiness between openness and proprietary management and the moral issues of growing AI companions.
