The Vergecast How Lego’s Smart Brick works
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Jan 13, 2026 
This week, Sean Hollister, a Senior reporter at The Verge, reveals the innovative features of Lego’s Smart Brick, exploring its programmable behaviors and the concerns surrounding creativity. He discusses how this tech could redefine play while maintaining its charm. Joining him, Casey Newton, founder of Platformer, dives into his productivity rituals, highlighting the benefits of journaling and task management systems. They share insights on using AI as an assistant for creativity and organization, making productivity both effective and engaging.
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Smart Brick Had Prior Leaks And Pilots
- Hardcore Lego fans leaked and piloted the Smart Brick in 2024, so CES wasn't the first reveal.
- Sean expected Lego to bring something big and recognized this brick from prior leaks and tests.
Smart Brick Is A Universal, Spatial Computer
- The Smart Brick is a standard 2x4 Lego brick stuffed with sensors, an ASIC, NFC reader, IMU, color sensor, and Bluetooth mesh.
- It can run different programs via NFC tiles and spatially coordinate with nearby bricks to enable 3D-aware play.
Platform Potential vs Curated Limits
- Lego positioned the Smart Brick as a flexible platform rather than one fixed toy, echoing Lego's tradition of recombinable parts.
- Yet Lego currently restricts behavior to predefined NFC tiles, not user programming, creating tension between platform potential and curated experiences.
