Bitget App
Trade smarter
Buy cryptoMarketsTradeFuturesEarnSquareMore
AI startup Friend invested over $1 million in those numerous subway advertisements

AI startup Friend invested over $1 million in those numerous subway advertisements

Bitget-RWA2025/09/27 19:27
By:Bitget-RWA

If you’ve ridden the New York City subway lately, you’ve likely noticed the striking white advertisements for a wearable AI gadget called Friend.

CEO Avi Schiffman shared with Adweek that the company invested over $1 million in a marketing push that included more than 11,000 cards inside subway cars, 1,000 posters on platforms, and 130 city panels. Certain stations, such as West 4th Street, are almost entirely covered in Friend ads.

“This marks the first large-scale AI advertising campaign in the world,” Schiffman claimed. (While there have been other AI-related ads with questionable impact, a print campaign of this magnitude may be unprecedented.) He called it “a massive risk,” and admitted, “I’m almost out of funds.”

The $129 Friend device has sparked debate, with Wired journalists recently criticizing its persistent monitoring and stating, “I Hate My Friend.” Likewise, some Friend advertisements have been defaced with phrases like “surveillance capitalism” and calls to “find real friends.”

Schiffman acknowledged that “New Yorkers dislike AI … probably more than anywhere else in America,” so he intentionally chose ad designs with ample white space “to invite social commentary on the subject.”

0

Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.

PoolX: Earn new token airdrops
Lock your assets and earn 10%+ APR
Lock now!

You may also like

Bitcoin Updates Today: Technical Optimism and Institutional Interest Face Off Against Broader Economic Challenges

- Bitcoin hovers near key Fibonacci support amid volatility, with technical indicators showing neutral RSI and bullish MACD but bearish EMA resistance. - Nasdaq proposes raising IBIT options limits to 1M contracts, signaling institutional confidence as BlackRock's ETF gains traction and holders turn profitable. - Krugman links Bitcoin's 30% drop to waning Trump support, contrasting technical optimism while Tom Lee revises $250k target to cautious $100k threshold. - XRP stagnates below $2.30 despite UAE reg

Bitget-RWA2025/11/30 07:08
Bitcoin Updates Today: Technical Optimism and Institutional Interest Face Off Against Broader Economic Challenges

Textbook Liquidation: Monero Whale Faces $1.9M Loss in Leverage Trade

- A Monero whale's 3× leveraged $5.6M long position was liquidated at $0.02298, resulting in a $1.9M loss amid volatile price swings. - The trader initially gained $654K as MON surged but faced rapid reversal, highlighting risks of overleveraging in low-liquidity altcoins. - Analysts warn such high-risk strategies amplify both gains and losses, with liquidation margins often razor-thin in speculative crypto markets. - The event sparked mixed market reactions, with some viewing it as a cautionary tale while

Bitget-RWA2025/11/30 06:50
Textbook Liquidation: Monero Whale Faces $1.9M Loss in Leverage Trade

Bitcoin News Today: BlackRock's ETFs: Institutional Embrace of Bitcoin Drives $245 Million in Revenue

- BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) drove $42.8M inflows on Nov 27, stabilizing BTC's $90K rebound amid macroeconomic uncertainty. - ETFs now hold 3% of Bitcoin's supply and $18.88B in ETH assets, shifting institutional focus from speculation to long-term accumulation. - Grayscale's Zcash ETF filing highlights growing altcoin demand, with ZEC surging 500% in two months amid privacy token trends. - Nasdaq's proposed IBIT options expansion to 1M contracts would align the ETF with major benchmarks like SPY, refl

Bitget-RWA2025/11/30 06:50
Bitcoin News Today: BlackRock's ETFs: Institutional Embrace of Bitcoin Drives $245 Million in Revenue

Algorand - Has Declined 58.36% This Year Due to Market Fluctuations

- Algorand’s (ALGO) price fell 58.36% year-to-date, despite a stable 24-hour close of $0.1393. - The token ranks #86 with $1.23B market cap, attracting institutional interest but failing to sustain gains. - Founded by MIT’s Silvio Micali in 2017, Algorand aims to solve blockchain’s scalability-trilemma but faces adoption skepticism. - With 8.8B of 10B tokens in circulation, limited inflationary pressure contrasts with macroeconomic-driven price declines. - Analysts highlight the need for clearer enterprise

Bitget-RWA2025/11/30 06:40