Microsoft Paint Now Makes AI Coloring Books. Yes, Really.

Microsoft just added AI coloring book generation to Paint. The feature creates printable coloring pages from text prompts.

So this is what we’re doing with cutting-edge AI now. Not solving climate change or curing diseases. Making cartoon cats sit on donuts so your kids have something to color.

What the Feature Actually Does

Type a prompt into Paint’s new AI tool. Something like “a cute fluffy cat on a donut.” The AI generates several line-art variations based on your description.

You can pick which version you want. Then save it, copy it, or print it out. That’s the whole feature.

Microsoft markets this as groundbreaking innovation. But it’s basically a specialized image generator that strips color from AI-created pictures. Plus, it only works on Copilot+ PCs, so you’ll need specific hardware to access cartoon cat generators.

The company also added a fill tolerance slider. This adjusts how precisely the Paint bucket tool colors your canvas. More useful than coloring books, honestly. But it won’t make headlines.

Notepad Gets Smarter AI Tools

Microsoft improved Notepad’s AI writing features too. The Write, Rewrite, and Summarize functions now run faster and show results immediately.

These tools integrate GPT to polish your writing and condense complex notes. You can interact with previews before the AI finishes its full response. That’s actually helpful for quick edits.

But there’s a catch. You need to sign into your Microsoft account to use these cloud-based features. Microsoft wants your data flowing through their servers, naturally.

The updates only work for Windows Insiders in Canary and Dev channels right now. So early adopters get first crack at AI-powered grammar fixes and instant coloring books.

The Bigger Picture Nobody Mentions

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently said AI needs to prove its worth for long-term adoption. Fair point. Society won’t embrace AI unless it solves real problems.

Then his company releases AI coloring books. The disconnect is stunning.

Look, generative AI costs billions to develop and run. Data centers consume massive electricity. Training models requires enormous computing resources. And we’re using all that technology to generate printable kitty pictures.

Meanwhile, real problems persist. Healthcare needs better diagnostic tools. Climate scientists need better modeling. Accessibility features could help millions of disabled users.

But sure, let’s build AI that draws cartoon animals on pastries. That’s clearly the priority.

Who Actually Benefits Here

Parents might appreciate easy coloring pages. Kids get fresh content without buying coloring books. That’s legitimate value, I suppose.

Teachers could generate custom educational coloring activities. Art therapy programs might use it. There are narrow use cases where this makes sense.

But Microsoft positions this as major innovation. They’re not marketing it as “a fun little tool for parents.” They’re presenting it as proof their AI strategy works.

The feature requires Copilot+ PCs, which means Microsoft wants you buying new hardware. Convenient timing for a feature that could easily run on older machines with cloud processing.

So who really benefits? Probably Microsoft’s hardware division more than anyone else.

AI Tools That Actually Matter

Notepad’s improved writing features deserve more attention than coloring books. Fast AI-assisted editing helps people communicate better. Summarizing complex notes saves time.

These tools assist real work. They make existing tasks faster and easier. That’s how AI should function—augmenting human capability, not replacing creative thinking with automated cartoon generators.

But Microsoft buried these practical improvements in a press release dominated by coloring book hype. Because AI-generated kids’ activities generate more buzz than better text editing.

The industry’s priorities show in these choices. Flashy features beat useful tools every time.

What Comes Next

More specialized AI features will roll out gradually. Microsoft tests them with Insiders before wider release. Eventually, regular Windows 11 users will get access to coloring books and faster Notepad AI.

Whether anyone actually uses these features long-term remains unclear. Novelty wears off fast. Parents might try the coloring book generator a few times, then forget it exists.

Meanwhile, Microsoft will keep pushing AI integration across Windows. Some features will prove genuinely useful. Others will fade into obscurity like most experimental additions.

The real test isn’t whether Microsoft can build AI coloring books. It’s whether AI delivers enough value that people actively choose it over existing solutions. Generating cartoon cats probably won’t move that needle much.

But hey, at least your kids can color a fluffy cat on a donut. Satya Nadella can sleep well knowing AI has finally proven its societal worth.