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SF’s ‘most hated tech founder’ is back with a new AI device— and now it can talk
Summary by The San Francisco Editorial Desk · Byline on the source page: Zara Stone , as published by The San Francisco Standard
· August 2, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: The San Francisco Standard · view original
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The San Francisco Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Zara Stone, as published by The San Francisco Standard Original story Read at the source Source published Aug 2, 2026 Indexed here Aug 2, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key takeaway Details about the device and its capabilities can be found through a conversation with Avi Schiffmann, as reported by the San Francisco Standard.
A tech founder known for controversy in San Francisco is introducing a new AI device. The founder, Avi Schiffmann, has created a companion called Friend, which now has the ability to talk. Further information about this development is available from the San Francisco Standard.
Details about the device and its capabilities can be found through a conversation with Avi Schiffmann, as reported by the San Francisco Standard.
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As published by The San Francisco Standard . The San Francisco surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit The San Francisco Standard . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: August 2, 2026 ·
Source: The San Francisco Standard ·
Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A tech founder known for controversy in San Francisco is introducing a new AI device. The founder, Avi Schiffmann, has created a companion called Friend, which now has the ability to talk. Further…
When was this published? This article was first published on August 2, 2026 by The San Francisco Standard and curated for The San Francisco readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Zara Stone at The San Francisco Standard. To learn more about how The San Francisco selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The San Francisco, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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