Two years after its initial launch as a $99 AI wearable meant to combat loneliness through text messages, Friend has been overhauled. Founder Avi Schiffmann announced Friend 2.

0, now featuring a built-in speaker that projects a unique and consistent personality. The new retail price is $249, significantly higher than the original.

Schiffmann describes the product’s purpose ambiguously as a confidant, friend, or even a god, explicitly stating it is neither an assistant nor a lover.

The actual utility beyond casual conversation remains unclear. Friend‘s marketing has drawn attention before, including a billboard campaign in New York City subways that was repeatedly defaced.

The wearable faces a market where similar AI wearables, such as Humane’s AI pin that aimed to replace smartphones, have failed to gain mainstream traction and shut down within a year.