There's a sort of unspoken attraction for anything "vintage" these days - things, ideas, or behaviors that have stood the test of time and are still relevant (or at least of interest) today. One such example of a vintage (or, let's say, legacy) entity in personal computers is Microsoft's original Clippy - the good-natured, charming, anthropomorphized paper clip conquered more than a few hearts since its original inception as a (glorified) assistant, way back in 1997.
Unfortunately, Clippy was left for dead in Microsoft's hands around 2005, with the company only recently revisiting it as a system-level sticker back in 2021. But software company FireCube wanted more, and it's done more in a way that makes Microsoft look as if it missed an oportunity: FireCube is now introducing its own open-source rendition of Clippy as a digital personal assistant, one that's finally been given a deep-dive course on actual assisting through its integration with OpenAI's Chat GPT (version 3.5). Being open-source, the code repository is available on GitHub.
Being ChatGPT-powered, this particular version of Clippy is now actually able to produce work for you, instead of only providing tooltips. Its conversational abilities are the same as what you've come to expect from OpenAI's fledgling Large Language Model (LLM). It'll be interesting to know how Clippy feels about his different versions through the years.
Get Clippy (preview) on your Desktop for Windows 11/10 now: https://t.co/8Do7DK5vUsWindows Apps Hub: https://t.co/tOFGITB6zaGitHub: https://t.co/cykWWB1SupThe preview version needs a OpenAI key#Windows11 #OpenAI #Windows10 #Clippy #ChatGPT #AI pic.twitter.com/ONvEltXRqdJune 28, 2023
For now, FireBlocks says that anyone who plans to use its GPT-powered Clippy will need to have their own private OpenAI API key - essentially confirming that you've subscribed to one of ChatGPT's paying tiers, and allowing Clippy to access OpenAI's servers for query processing. For now, Clippy's requirements include a Windows 10 (version 17763.0 or above) PC with an internet connection.
The company has plans to improve Clippy over time. It's likely further development will accompany OpenAI's own ChatGPT releases, adding whatever improvements OpenAI cooks in. But beyond that, the company is also looking to do away with the need for personal OpenAI keys entirely. At the same time, FireBlocks aims to make sure that you can keep things interesting by allowing Clippy to rest every once in a while by calling upon other storied Microsoft assistants (like Bob or classic Clippy himself).
This is all well and good, and having Clippy following your Windows antics is bound to provide some nostalgia. If you prefer to take things out of the digital realm and would like to deploy your own physical Clippy that's also powered by ChatGPT, we've got you covered. If you go that rout, you'll also get a chance to play around with a Raspberry Pi.
