Mixed reactions to Friend's AI companion in interviews with people outside tech

An Airlock post says its creators asked people outside tech about a Friend user interview after seeing it called “dystopian” on X. Some interviewees saw potential support for someone recovering from surgery, while others worried about AI standing in for human connection. The creators say the reactions were more mixed than expected and argue that people outside tech see less difference between Friend and other consumer AI products than people in tech do.