Unlock the power of artificial intelligence in Windows Paint and Notepad, revolutionizing image creation, text editing, and more.
Unlocking Creativity with AI in Windows Paint and Notepad
Windows has long been a stalwart of personal computing, and its utilities have evolved to meet the changing needs of users. Two of these utilities, Paint and Notepad, have recently received an upgrade that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their functionality.
Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
Initially, it focused on developing software for personal computers.
The company's breakthrough came with the release of the Windows operating system in 1985, which revolutionized the industry.
Today, Microsoft is a multinational technology giant, offering a wide range of products and services, including Office software, Azure cloud computing, and LinkedIn professional networking platform.
Exploring AI-Powered Features in Windows Paint
For those familiar with the traditional use cases of Paint, a new Copilot button has been added, offering three AI-powered features: Image Creator, Generative Erase, and Remove Background. These features cater to different aspects of image creation and editing, allowing users to tap into the power of AI.
Windows Paint, formerly known as Microsoft Paint, is a graphics editing software developed by Microsoft.
First released in 1985 with Windows 1.0, it has undergone several updates and redesigns over the years.
The program allows users to create and edit images using various tools such as 'brushes, shapes, and text'.
Its simplicity and user-friendly interface have made it a popular choice for basic image editing tasks.
According to Microsoft, over 100 million copies of Windows Paint were shipped worldwide between 1985 and 2006.
Image Creator
Image Creator enables users to generate new images based on their input. By providing a text prompt, users can describe what they want to see, such as an animal on a beach or a spaceship in the shape of a pineapple. The more detailed the prompt, the better the match is likely to be. Users can then select from various image styles and apply the generated thumbnail to their current image.
An 'image creator' , also known as a generative model, is an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to generate original images.
These models use complex algorithms and neural networks to produce realistic and often photorealistic images from scratch.
They can be trained on vast datasets of existing images, allowing them to learn patterns and styles that are then applied to new image generation tasks.
Image creators have various applications in art, design, advertising, and entertainment.
Generative Erase
Generative Erase allows users to remove objects and people from their images by selecting specific areas and adjusting the size of the brush using a slider. This feature can be particularly useful for removing unwanted elements, such as poles or buildings, that are ruining the view.
Remove Background
The Remove Background option uses AI to isolate the main subject in an image, turning everything white except for the subject. While this feature is more effective with images where the subject is clearly defined, it can still produce impressive results and save users time.
It’s worth noting that Image Creator requires AI credits associated with a Microsoft account, which are included with subscriptions to Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro. Generative Erase and Remove Background can be used for free, but their capabilities may vary depending on the user’s subscription status.
Leveraging AI in Windows Notepad
Notepad has traditionally been seen as a code editor rather than a word processor, but recent updates have introduced features like formatting and auto-save. A new Copilot button has also been added to the top-right corner of the interface, allowing users to tap into its AI-powered capabilities.
Rewriting Text
The Copilot feature in Notepad enables users to rewrite and tweak existing text. Before using this feature, users must select some text in Notepad. The Copilot menu offers options like Make shorter or longer, Change tone, Change format, and Rewrite, which provide a range of choices for altering the selected text.
Users can also preview rewritten text before applying it by selecting Rewriting from the Copilot menu. A new pop-up window appears, offering further options to refine the changes. When users find an acceptable variation, they can click Replace to swap it out for the existing text.
While Notepad offers some free AI-powered rewrites at the time of writing, more extensive use requires a Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscription, which also unlocks AI credits.
Disabling AI Features
For those who prefer not to use these AI tools or simply want to remove the Copilot button from their interface, it’s possible to disable them. Users can access this by clicking the gear icon in the top-right corner and toggling off the Copilot switch.
