Color is currently experiencing profound changes. In addition to layer management like in Photoshop, Microsoft will actually equip its graphics software with an AI image generation module. A little revolution!
Often derided for its relative weakness compared to other drawing and image editing programs, Paint appears to be gaining traction again. Microsoft’s graphics software, which comes standard with Windows, has undergone a makeover in recent months, with the publisher constantly updating it with a dark mode to bring it in line with the new visual standards of Windows 10 and 11, he now sees doped with artificial intelligence that opens up new horizons for him. After announcing the introduction of an automatic background removal function for click-to-click clipping, Microsoft introduces an image creation module from a simple text command such as DALL -E and other Midjourney. And to top it all off, Paint will also be able to handle slaps like professional software like Photoshop. Enough to radically change the scope…
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Paint Cocreator: automatic image creation by AI
As announced in a blog post, Microsoft has decided to equip Paint with generative artificial intelligence to integrate a similar function to Bing Image Creator, powered by DALL-E. As a reminder, the latter allows you to generate unique images from simple text descriptions, which we call prompts. The new Paint feature called Cocreator uses the same principle. You just need to describe in a few words the image you want to get so that Paint can create three sketches. After selecting one of them, you can edit it using the various software tools. Note that like Bing Image Creator and DALL-E, the generation of images comes with restrictions and filters aimed at preventing “the creation of harmful, offensive, or inappropriate images.”
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Cocreator uses roughly the same principle as Generative Fill, Firefly AI in Photoshop… including its payment system (see our article). In fact, Microsoft is offering users fifty credits to get started – one credit is issued every time an image is generated by the AI - meaning you’ll have to pay to get an image once your supply runs out. Note that you need to be connected to your Microsoft account to use Cocreator, which suggests that the credit system may be linked to the company’s Rewards loyalty program. The feature is currently in evaluation and testing through the Canary and Dev channels of the Windows Insider program.
©Microsoft
Microsoft is using the Paint update to integrate background removal into the software in just a few seconds – and automatically, without the need for complex manipulations (see our article) – and layers. In fact, Paint is now able to overlay images, text and other graphical elements on top of each other. A panel groups the different layers that can be hidden, deleted or merged. In short, features previously only found in more advanced image editors like Photoshop and that users have been asking Microsoft for for years.