The search for an icon that accurately represents artificial intelligence (AI) continues to challenge tech companies. Apple recently joined the competition, alongside Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and others, to find a visual representation of AI. However, like its competitors, Apple has struggled to find a definitive symbol.
AI is a complex concept that is difficult to visually represent. It is an intangible force that performs tasks behind the scenes without a physical form. Nonetheless, it is important for users to recognize when they are interacting with AI models rather than traditional search engines or other applications.
Companies have generally agreed that the AI avatar should be non-threatening, abstract, and relatively simple. Early AI icons often featured robots, wizard hats, or magic wands. However, these symbols conveyed limitations and irrationality rather than the factual reliability that AI aims to provide.
Corporate logo design is a combination of strong vision, commercial necessity, and compromise-by-committee. Companies like OpenAI and Microsoft have taken different approaches in their logo designs. OpenAI’s black dot represents a featureless hole where you throw your query, while Microsoft’s Copilot logo is difficult to describe.
However, there are common elements among these logos. Four out of six logos use pleasant candy colors, which are cheery and approachable. These soft gradients and pastel colors lean towards a feminine or childlike design language. Additionally, some logos animate in use, giving the impression of life and responsiveness.
Designing these logos is not a simple task. Corporate design teams spend significant time and effort creating the perfect representation of their brand. While some may argue that the analysis of these logos is excessive, it is clear that no one has found a visual concept that unambiguously represents AI to users.
Icons for other functions like email or settings have clear representations that can be universally understood. For example, an envelope represents email because it resembles traditional mail. However, AI is still a new concept for consumers, and its functionalities are not clearly defined. AI companies want users to believe that their technology can do anything, which makes it challenging to represent AI’s capabilities in a single icon.
Until AI becomes better defined, we can expect AI icons and logos to continue being vague and non-threatening. They will likely feature abstract shapes and colors that convey friendliness and openness. Ultimately, the goal of these logos is to communicate that the interface is not just a search engine or a note app but a powerful AI-driven system.
In conclusion, the search for an AI icon that accurately represents the technology remains ongoing. It is a challenge to visually represent an intangible force like AI, but companies are working towards creating symbols that convey the power and capabilities of AI without being threatening or anthropomorphic.