As a kid in the '90s, hearing “Microsoft Paint” conjured up memories of sitting in front of my friend's parents' computer, drawing primitive doodles with the spray tool over pictures of puppies. Now, decades later, Microsoft Paint is barely recognizable. The latest updates to the photo and graphics editor introduce creative AI features, showing that the app can remain relevant.
When I think of AI-powered fill and erase features, the apps that come to mind are Adobe Photoshop and Google's Magic Eraser tool for both Pixel and iOS devices. I don't think about Microsoft Paint. However, Microsoft has announced an expansion of a feature that was added to the app earlier this year, a tool called Cocreator with which users can create AI images using text prompts.
Now, if you own a recent Copilot+ laptop (or PC), you can not only create new photos using AI, but you can also edit existing photos.
Obstetric mobilization
Similar to the AI tool in Adobe Photoshop, the Generative Fill feature in Microsoft Paint gives you the ability to add new elements to an existing image, based on the description you provide to the application. Here's how to qualify the Microsoft support page for the tool:
“The Generative Fill feature in Paint allows you to easily make adjustments and additions with just a few words, while maintaining the existing artistic style without using complex software. After selecting part of your image using the selection tool, enter a prompt to add or modify the image with AI-generated elements [sic] The feature in Paint will be available for Copilot+ PCs and will initially only be available for Copilot+ PCs with Qualcomm processors.
Generative erasure
Microsoft Paint has also added Geneative Erase, a brush-shaped AI tool that you can “paint” over an object you want to remove, such as a person passing through the background of an image. Unlike older versions of the eraser tools, this action will not result in a blank space, but will instead use artificial intelligence to produce a continuous background in place of the removed object.
According to Microsoft's support page, the method to access the tool is simply a matter of choice Erase, Microsoft Paint will call the AI tool by default.
According to Microsoft, you can also create masks to protect specific parts of your image from being affected by the general scanning tool.
The Microsoft Photos app is also getting an update
Not one to let Paint get all the attention, Microsoft Photos has also gotten a new upgrade. From now on, Microsoft Photos users will be able to enhance photos using the Supersolution tool. Super Resolution can reportedly enhance an image up to eight times its original resolution, which is a pretty big promise, considering Adobe Lightroom only offers up to four times the improvement.
Here's the thing: Enhancement tools don't necessarily pull out the “hidden” data in the image. Instead, they generate pixels based on guesswork, similar to generative fill. I can see how this is important for simple sharpening, but I can also imagine that it leads to a gray area. Think of a situation like enhancing grainy CCTV footage in a criminal case. AI-powered enhancement tools don't actually reveal the truth of the scene or identity, they just create a new image based on the informed hallucination.
Image optimization concerns aside, I have no concerns about Microsoft Paint's upgrades. Personally, I'm excited to see the images people come up with, and how they compare to those in popular apps like Adobe Photoshop. However, access to these features is limited to Copliot+ PC owners, making them a bit protected by Microsoft.