It’s 1997. You’re typing away at your computer screen. Suddenly, a googly-eyed paperclip pops up in the corner. 

“Would you like some help?” 

Chances are, you clicked “no,” and carried on. 

You’re not alone. We all dismissed Clippy. Even his creators rejected him – publicly killing him off at a software conference. Then he was gone.

But almost 30 years later, it’s hard not to wonder: Why did we reject Clippy’s help time and time again?

Maybe the world wasn’t ready. Maybe he was ahead of his time. 

But maybe….we’re ready now. 

Here’s why Clippy is the icon we should embrace in 2024. 

A FRIEND, NOT A FACELESS-FOE

Cereal is not as exciting without Tony the Tiger. Insurance is a bore without the Geico Gecko. 

Why? It’s simple. We all trust and appreciate a friendly face who really sees us (quite literally). 

Clippy is no different. And in our current world of Alexa’s, Siri’s and ChatGPT – it’s hard to connect with these faceless devices. Which leads us to our next point: Can we trust these AI platforms in the way we trust the curious-browed Clippy? 

HELPFUL, NOT HELLBENT 

We’ve all seen those Sci-Fi movies. The ones where technology takes over humanity as we know it. 

But perhaps Clippy is the solution. Our beacon of light in a world of distrusted AI. 

Who better to join the future of technology than the paperclip we’ve known for almost three decades? The writing tool who we’re certain isn’t here to take over – but to assist us with curiosity, humanity, nostalgia, and a sense of humor.

PEAK NOSTALGIA

Remember the good old days with iPod Nanos and flip phones?

Nostalgia affects us all, and Clippy is a huge part of that. 

This phenomenon of longing for the past – like Clippy – is evident all across our meme culture. Upon researching Clippy’s impact on us in the past few years, it was astounding and heartwarming to discover the abundance of memes of the once shunned paperclip. 

A CLIPPY COMEBACK?

It’s clear that the people are ready…

So, what’s the hold up on Clippy’s second coming? 

Well, Clippy has had a few half-baked resurrections over the years. None of which were anything to write home about. 

Here’s how it went down. After killing Clippy off back in the early 2000’s, he was then brought back in 2021 as a set of Microsoft Teams stickers. And then, most recently, he became a ChatGPT-powered mascot for Firecube. Oh, the irony. 

Come on. This is not the fate Clippy deserves.

The real way to bring him back? 

Utilize Clippy’s friendly-faced persona, but give him the ability to cater to our individual needs in the way that ChatGPT or Alexa can. That’s how he’ll bridge the gap between humans and AI: by becoming a hybrid service of trust and tailored assistance.