Microsoft gives Paint its biggest update in years with brand new generative AI features to edit photos even faster and more efficiently.
Microsoft introduces two new AI features: Generative Fill and Generative Erase. These allow users to edit photos by adding or removing objects on the fly. The update is similar to that of Adobe Photoshop Elements, which also has AI improvements.
Only requirement is that you do have a Copilot Plus PC. These are PCs with a powerful NPU that delivers at least 40 TOPS. Unlike traditional CPUs and GPUs, NPUs are optimized for performing complex mathematical calculations that are part of artificial neural networks. A list of compatible PCs can be found here.
Generative fill or delete
Users can use a brush to edit specific parts of the photo. Generative Erase, a feature already available in the Photos app, will “erase” unwanted figures in the background or other unwanted objects. With Generative Fill, AI-generated objects can be added to your photo via a prompt. Microsoft wants this update to make people less dependent on pricey high-end photo editing software.
The technology builds on the Cocreator tool within Paint that was announced last year. Typed text are processed with OpenAI’s Dall-E. According to The Verge, image generation works not only through descriptions or prompts, but also reference sketches. You can then edit the image with all the features Paint has to offer. It is not yet known when the update will roll out to Windows 11.
Just last month, Microsoft pulled the plug on Paint 3D. The app was intended to replace the original Paint, but its 3D functionalities did not seem to catch on with the general public. Fortunately, however, efforts are clearly still being made to modernize Paint with artificial intelligence.
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