New Delhi, Sept. 12 -- The latest AI wearable to spark heated debate is a pendant called "Friend." Developed by 22-year-old Avi Schiffmann, Friend is pitched as a portable companion designed to ease loneliness by constantly recording a user's conversations and summarising them later. Priced at $129 (roughly Rs.10,700), the device aims to stand out with its always-on listening and personality-driven chatbot. However, the concept hasn't been well received at launch.

Real-world testing paints a difficult picture for Friend's acceptance. Wired took the pendant for a spin and found herself in the centre of awkward moments more than once. At an Anthropic party packed with tech insiders, the Wired journalist was called out for "wearing a wire."...