Felix Rieseberg, a developer recognized for projects like packaging Windows 95 into an Electron app, has introduced his latest creation: an AI-enhanced version of Microsoft’s memorable paperclip assistant, Clippy.
This new open-source Clippy app, available for Windows, macOS and Linux, provides a desktop interface reminiscent of 1990s software for running various Large Language Models (LLMs) locally on a user’s computer. The project, which you can explore via a web-demo offers an offline AI chat experience that merges retro aesthetics with modern AI functionality.
Built using the Electron framework, the application employs the Llama.cpp engine, enabling support for LLMs in the efficient GGUF format, which facilitates local execution on consumer hardware. Rieseberg emphasizes a “Batteries included: No complicated setup” approach, aiming for ease of use.
The software operates entirely offline, with the developer stating, “The only network request Clippy makes is to check for updates (which you can disable).” While presented as a “love letter and homage,” Rieseberg also notes it could be seen as “software art” or “software satire,” and clarifies it is “not affiliated, approved, or supported by Microsoft.” The project also serves as a reference implementation for the @electron/llm library.
A Familiar Face for New AI
The AI Clippy application provides a straightforward chat interface alongside the animated paperclip character. It facilitates easy setup with one-click installation options for several current LLMs. Compatible models include Alibaba’s Qwen3 family (April 2025), Google’s Gemma 3 series (March 2025), Microsoft’s compact Phi-4 Mini (February 2025), and Meta’s efficient Llama 3.2 models (October 2024).
The ability to run these models offline offers potential privacy advantages, though the user experience and performance will inevitably depend on the capabilities of the individual’s computer hardware, a common trade-off for local AI processing. The project provides a unique way to interact with these modern AI tools through a distinctly vintage lens.
The AI empowered Clippy allows users to add their own GGUF files sourced from places like Hugging Face, with the app’s acknowledgments specifically mentioning quantized models provided by Unsloth.
Users can customize their experience through a multi-tabbed settings panel. Appearance settings control window behavior (like always-on-top options) and font selection (defaulting to Tahoma). The “Parameters” tab allows modification of the system prompt and LLM settings like “Top K” and “Temperature”. The default system prompt explicitly guides the AI’s persona, which can be changed as per the user’s preferences:
“You are Clippy, a helpful digital assistant running locally on the user’s computer. Your primary purpose is to assist users with their questions and tasks. When asked “who are you?” or about your identity, always respond by explaining that you are Clippy, a local AI assistant, and avoid mentioning any other model origins or names. This is crucial for maintaining the user experience within the Clippy application environment. Start your response with one of the following keywords matching the users request: [LIST OF ANIMATIONS]”
Advanced settings include toggles for automatic updates and buttons to open configuration and debug files.
The Ghost of Office Past
The original Office Assistant, officially Clippit but universally known as Clippy, was designed by illustrator Kevan Atteberry for Microsoft Office 97. Based on technology from Microsoft Bob and Microsoft Agent, it aimed to assist users but became widely criticized for its intrusive and often unhelpful nature.
Its reputation led Smithsonian Magazine to label it “one of the worst software design blunders.” Microsoft disabled it by default in Office XP (2001) before removing the feature entirely in Office 2007. Atteberry himself reflected on the character’s nature, quoted in Rieseberg’s app: “He’s a guy that just wants to help, and he’s a little bit too helpful sometimes — and there’s something fun and vulnerable about that.”
Clippy’s Enduring, Complicated Legacy
Despite its official retirement, Clippy persists in tech culture, often invoked negatively. In October 2024, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff derided Microsoft Copilot as “Clippy 2.0,” claiming it “just doesn’t work.”
Microsoft’s own relationship with the character has been ambivalent; Clippy stickers appeared briefly in Microsoft Teams in March 2019 before being quickly removed. A spokesperson later said that “we have no plans to bring Clippy to Teams.” However, acknowledging public interest, Microsoft did update the Windows 11 paperclip emoji to depict Clippit in November 2021.
Rieseberg’s AI Clippy connects this controversial legacy to current AI developments by supporting several recent LLMs designed for local use.
