The NPC Update Chip meme is an evolution of the Gray Wojak NPC character, which symbolizes individuals perceived as lacking original thought and merely repeating mainstream narratives. This specific variation satirizes the speed at which social media users adopt new causes or opinions simultaneously, as if receiving a mandatory software patch. Often featuring a schematic of a brain with a microchip being inserted or a loading progress bar, the meme suggests that public opinion is programmed rather than organic. It is widely used in political discourse and cultural critiques to point out perceived hive-mind behavior, performative activism, or the sudden shift in 'The Current Thing' that dominates online conversation.