Microsoft Paint gets Generative AI tools

For the 9X generation, "Microsoft Paint" evokes memories of sitting at their parents' bulky computers, drawing crude doodles with the spray can tool on the app. Now, decades later, people hardly recognize Microsoft Paint anymore.

Microsoft Paint has Generative AI tools

When you think of AI-powered paint and erase features, the apps that come to mind are Adobe Photoshop and Google's Magic Eraser tool for both Pixel and iOS devices. Microsoft Paint is rarely mentioned. However, earlier this year, Microsoft announced an expansion to an in-app feature, a tool called Cocreator that lets users create AI images using a text prompt.

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Now, if you own a new Copilot+ laptop (or PC), you can not only create new images using AI, but also edit existing images.

Generative Fill

Similar to the AI ​​tool in Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Paint's Generative Fill feature lets you add new elements to an existing image, based on a description you provide to the app. Here's how Microsoft's support page defines the tool:

"Generative Fill in Paint lets you easily edit and add with just a few words, while maintaining your existing art style without using complicated software. After selecting a portion of an image with the selection tool, enter the prompt to add or modify the image with AI-generated elements. The ill [sic] shape creation feature in Paint will be available for Copilot+ PCs and will initially only be available for Copilot+ PCs with Qualcomm processors."

Generative Erase

Microsoft Paint also added Generative Erase, an AI tool that takes the form of a brush that you can 'paint' over the object you want to erase, like a person walking across the background of a portrait. Unlike older versions of the eraser tool, this action won't create a blank space, but instead uses AI to create a continuous background in place of the erased object.

According to Microsoft's support page, to access this tool, simply select Erase and Microsoft Paint will summon the AI ​​tool by default.

Tip : According to Microsoft, you can also create masks to protect certain parts of the image from being affected by the Generative Erase tool.

Microsoft Photos also gets an update

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While it's not Paint that gets all the attention, Microsoft Photos is getting a new upgrade. In the future, Microsoft Photos users will be able to upscale their photos using the Super Resolution tool. According to the post, Super Resolution can upscale images up to 8 times their original resolution, which is impressive considering Adobe Lightroom only offers up to 4 times upscaling.

The problem here is that enhancement tools don't necessarily pull the 'hidden' data that's in the image. Instead, they create pixels based on guesses, similar to Generative Fill. You can see how this is valuable for simple sharpening, but it also results in some dark areas. Consider a situation like enhancing blurry CCTV footage in a crime scene. These AI-powered enhancement tools don't actually reveal the reality of a scene or someone's identity, they just create a new image based on the illusion of existing information.

With the upgrade to Microsoft Paint, users are eager to see how the quality of images people will produce will compare to images from popular apps like Adobe Photoshop. However, access to these features is limited to Copliot+ PC owners, making them a bit of a secretive part of Microsoft.

Marvin Fry

Update 02 October 2024