As a \’90s kid, hearing \”Microsoft Paint\” brings back memories of sitting at my friend\’s parents\’ old computer, making rudimentary doodles with the spray can tool on pictures of puppies. Now, decades later, Microsoft Paint is hard to recognize. The latest update to the photo and graphics editor includes generative AI features, showing that the application can still be relevant.
Microsoft Paint gets generative AI tools
When I think of AI-fueled generative fill and erase features, I think of Adobe Photoshop and Google\’s Magic Eraser tool for both Pixel and iOS devices. I wouldn\’t think of Microsoft Paint. However, Microsoft announced an expansion of a feature it added to the application earlier this year, a tool called Cocreator with which users can generate AI images using text prompts.
Now, if you have a new-fangled Copilot+ laptop (or PC), not only can you create new images with AI, but you can also edit existing images.
Generative Fill
Like the AI tool in Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Paint\’s Generative Fill feature lets you add new elements to an existing image, according to details you give the application. Here\’s how Microsoft\’s support page qualifies this tool.
Generative Erase
Microsoft Paint has also added Generative Erase, an AI tool in the form of a brush that you can \”paint\” over an object you want to remove, such as a person passing by in the background of a portrait. Unlike older versions of the Eraser tool, this action will not result in a blank space, but instead will use AI to create a continuous background in place of the removed object.
According to Microsoft\’s support page, the way to access the tool is to simply select Erase, and Microsoft Paint will summon the AI tool by default.
Microsoft Photos also got an update
To prevent Paint from getting all the attention, Microsoft Photos has also received a new upgrade. Going forward, Microsoft Photos users will be able to upscale images using the Super Resolution tool. According to the report, Super Resolution can enlarge an image up to eight times its original resolution, which is a pretty big promise, considering that Adobe Lightroom only offers up to four times the enlargement.
Here\’s the thing: enhancement tools don\’t necessarily pull out the \”hidden\” data present in the photo. Rather, they generate pixels based on guesswork, similar to generative fill. I can see how this is valuable for simple sharpening, but I can also imagine it would lead to some gray area. Consider a situation like enhancing blurry CCTV footage in a criminal case. These AI-powered enhancement tools aren\’t actually revealing the reality of a scene or identity, they\’re simply creating a new image based on reported hallucinations.
Photo enhancement concerns aside, I have no complaints with the Microsoft Paint upgrade. I\’m personally excited to see what kind of images people come up with, and how they compare to well-known applications like Adobe Photoshop. As noted, access to these features is limited to Copilot+ PC owners, making them somewhat controlled by Microsoft.