The Enduring appeal of the Calculator in the Age of AI
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Despite rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, the humble calculator remains a surprisingly resilient tool, offering a dependable choice to increasingly complex technology. While AI models are achieving unprecedented feats in mathematics, the calculator’s unwavering accuracy, affordability, and practical utility continue to resonate with users worldwide.
A Reliable Alternative to AI’s Imperfections
The rise of AI has been remarkable,yet even the most sophisticated chatbots can stumble on basic arithmetic. In contrast, a Casio executive emphasized, “calculators always give the correct answer.” This unwavering accuracy is a key reason for the device’s continued relevance, even as smartphones and web browsers offer built-in calculation capabilities.
Though, the long-term outlook isn’t entirely secure. The same executive conceded that calculators could eventually share the fate of the abacus, acknowledging a “downward trend” in the market for personal calculators used in business. this shift is driven by the increasing accessibility of alternative calculation methods.
Casio’s Strategy: Affordability and Emerging Markets
Despite the challenges, Casio remains a dominant force, having sold 39 million calculators – both general and scientific – across approximately 100 countries in the year leading up to March 2025. While this figure represents a slight decrease from the 45 million units sold in 2019-20, it marks a critically important recovery from the 31 million sold during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Casio is actively pursuing growth opportunities, particularly in developing countries where affordability and the ability to operate on batteries and solar power are significant advantages. This focus on practical utility is a core element of the company’s strategy.
Beyond Functionality: The Human Element
The appeal of the calculator extends beyond mere functionality. One shop owner in Bangkok’s Chinatown expressed her fondness for the device’s durability, recounting numerous accidental drops without damage. “It’s more convenient in many ways,” she stated, adding that it facilitates clear communication with customers by allowing her to visually display calculations, avoiding potential language barriers.
However, not all retailers are experiencing robust sales. Another vendor in the same area reported “quiet” calculator sales, suggesting a localized impact from competing technologies.
Manufacturing and Ancient Meaning
At a Casio factory in Thailand, assembly line workers are diligently producing the next generation of calculators, assembling circuit boards and attaching buttons to pastel-blue frames. A general manager at the facility highlighted the continued demand, emphasizing that “not everywhere in the world has smartphone connectivity, and calculators are optimised tools focused on necessary functions.”
The company’s history dates back to 1957 with the invention of the “14-A,” hailed as the first compact all-electric calculator. The historical significance of calculating machines was recently underscored when the planned sale of “La Pascaline,” a 1642 calculating machine,was suspended by Christie’s following a court order preventing its export. The auction house described the device as “the first attempt in history to substitute the human mind with a machine.”
AI’s Progress and the Future of Calculation
In July, artificial intelligence models developed by Google, OpenAI, and DeepSeek achieved gold-level scores at the annual International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), a landmark achievement. Though, these models fell short of perfect scores, a feat accomplished by five human participants.
IMO president Gregor Dolinar acknowledged the “interesting” progress of AI in the field, noting that AI can now effectively tackle complex mathematical problems when presented with the right prompts. Though, he also predicted that physical calculators are likely to “slowly disappear,” a trend already observed among his own students who rely on smartphones for calculations.
The calculator’s future remains uncertain, but its enduring legacy as a reliable and accessible tool suggests it won’t vanish overnight.
