AI-driven Archives

Winsage

November 8, 2024

Microsoft starts rolling out AI to these decades old popular tools on Windows

Microsoft is integrating advanced AI capabilities into its Paint and Notepad applications. Paint will feature Generative Fill, allowing users to add or alter image elements through text prompts, and Generative Erase, enabling the removal of unwanted objects while filling in the background. These features are being rolled out to Windows Insiders, with Generative Fill initially available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and Generative Erase accessible to all Windows 11 users. Notepad will introduce a Rewrite feature for rephrasing text, currently in preview for select regions, and has improved launch performance, reducing app launch time by over 35% for most users and up to 55% for some.

Winsage

November 7, 2024

Microsoft Notepad to get AI-powered rewriting tool on Windows 11

Microsoft is introducing AI-enhanced functionalities to its applications Notepad and Paint, which were originally launched in the 1980s. These updates are currently being tested by Windows 11 Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. In Paint version 11.2410.28.0, new features include generative fill and generative erase, allowing users to manipulate images by replacing elements with AI-generated content. The generative fill feature enables edits and additions with simple text prompts while maintaining the existing art style. The generative erase tool helps remove unwanted objects from images while preserving the artwork's integrity. Additionally, a new background remover tool is being added to enhance user experience. Notepad is introducing the "Rewrite" feature, which allows users to automatically rephrase content, adjust tone, and modify length. This feature is available in preview for users in select countries, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, and Germany, and requires a Microsoft account for access. Since 2018, Notepad has been updated with various features such as a built-in character counter, spell check, autocorrect, wrap-around find and replace, improved compatibility with Unix and Mac systems, tabbed browsing, text zoom, UTF-8 support, autosaving, and line number displays.

Winsage

November 6, 2024

New AI experiences for Paint and Notepad begin rolling out to Windows Insiders

The updates to Paint (version 11.2410.28.0) include the introduction of generative fill, which allows users to make edits and additions to their artwork using text prompts, and generative erase, enabling the removal of unwanted objects from the canvas. Generative fill is initially available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs for Windows Insiders in supported markets, while generative erase is accessible for all Windows 11 PCs. Additionally, the Cocreator feature has been enhanced for faster results, and Image Creator is now available in preview for Windows 11 users in several countries, with AI credits for Microsoft 365 subscribers in select regions. The Notepad update (version 11.2410.15.0) introduces a generative AI feature that allows users to rewrite content by rephrasing sentences and adjusting tone and length. This feature is available in preview for users in specific countries and requires a Microsoft account. Improvements have also been made to Notepad’s launch performance, with most users experiencing over a 35% improvement in app launch time.

AppWizard

November 6, 2024

Oasis is an interactive AI experience that turns Minecraft into a nightmarish hallucination

Cupertino-based startup Etched has launched Oasis, an AI experiment that offers a low-definition, surreal interpretation of Minecraft, described as a "hallucinated clone" where each frame is generated based on player input. Currently, it operates on Nvidia's H100 GPUs at 360p and 20 frames per second, with plans to enhance graphics to 4K resolution using advanced hardware. The platform can support up to ten users per H100 with the introduction of Sohu, a specialized AI ASIC technology. Oasis was trained on a dataset of recorded Minecraft gameplay and does not rely on traditional game engines or code. Etched is also exploring AI-generated interactive video content, aiming for large, low-latency models for various sectors. Oasis is intended as a demonstration of real-time AI content generation capabilities, operating legally by drawing inspiration from open-source projects like Minetest.

Winsage

November 6, 2024

‘Windows Intelligence’: Microsoft might be rebranding its Windows AI tools

A Twitter user discovered references in the AppPrivacy.adml file indicating a potential rebranding of Microsoft’s AI capabilities to "Windows Intelligence." Microsoft has previously branded its AI tools as "Copilot," which was a rebranding of Bing Chat. The new branding may be inspired by Apple’s AI tools called Apple Intelligence. There is no confirmation from Microsoft regarding the rebranding or its implications for the Copilot brand, which may still exist within the Windows Intelligence framework.

Winsage

November 5, 2024

‘Windows Intelligence’: Microsoft might be rebranding its Windows AI tools

Microsoft may be considering rebranding its AI capabilities to "Windows Intelligence," as suggested by a reference found in the AppPrivacy.adml file of the latest Windows 11 update. The company has previously used the term "Copilot" for its AI tools, which was a rebranding from Bing Chat. The potential shift to Windows Intelligence could be influenced by Apple's recent announcement of its AI suite, Apple Intelligence. Microsoft has not officially commented on this possible rebranding or its implications for the existing Copilot brand.

AppWizard

November 5, 2024

I’ve seen the future of gaming — AI model creates playable Minecraft from a picture

Oasis is an AI model that generates Minecraft-like gameplay using only images, developed by Decart and Etched. It is described as the world's first real-time AI world model, dynamically constructing gameplay based on user input and visual data, processing commands and generating frames at approximately 20 frames per second. The AI architecture combines Vision Transformer technology with a diffusion model, allowing for frame generation in about 0.04 seconds on a single NVIDIA H100 GPU. However, the gameplay experience is low-resolution and glitchy, with issues related to object permanence and unexpected environmental shifts. The technology could transform the gaming industry by enabling rapid game development and real-time adaptation to player preferences, while also raising concerns about copyright and creative ownership. As the technology evolves, improvements in resolution, frame rates, and game complexity are anticipated.

Winsage

November 5, 2024

Microsoft Windows User Warning—50 Million Of You Are Now At Risk

Microsoft has extended the end-of-life deadline for Windows 10 from October 2025 to October 2026, but this extension comes with a fee that is not universally applicable. Approximately 50 million Windows users are at risk and need to take action to protect their systems. Recent data shows that around 50 million users have migrated from Windows 10 to Windows 11, causing Windows 10's market share to drop just above 60% and Windows 11's to rise to nearly 36%. There are still around 850 million Windows 10 PCs that have not transitioned, with about 400 million unable to upgrade. Microsoft warns that unsupported versions of Windows do not receive software updates, including security updates. The company is preparing for a potential increase in new PC purchases in 2025, driven by an anticipated upgrade boom to Windows 11. Microsoft is also enhancing Windows 11 with security features to protect against cyber threats.

AppWizard

November 5, 2024

How AI will shape the games industry: Exclusive insights from the AI Gamechangers newsletter

OpenAI recently achieved record investments in AI, with ongoing funding announcements for AI in gaming. The Pocket Gamer Connects and Big Screen Gaming conferences featured over 10 hours of AI-related content, indicating strong industry interest. The AI Gamechangers newsletter was launched to inform readers about AI's impact on gaming, covering various platforms and aspects of game development. It offers weekly interviews with industry innovators and curated news on AI in gaming. Notable contributors to the newsletter include professionals from Charisma.ai, Quicksave, Kinetix, and others, discussing topics like interactive narratives, AI in game studios, and legal implications for intellectual property. The consensus among industry leaders is that AI will significantly impact gaming, but its implementation should enhance human creativity. Additionally, AI technologies may transform legal processes in mergers and acquisitions by streamlining document analysis. An upcoming AI-powered cozy game, AuraVale, is also mentioned, along with future interview topics related to AI in game development.

AppWizard

November 4, 2024

Valorant is winning the war against PC gaming cheaters

In 2020, multiplayer games experienced a surge in cheating during COVID-19 lockdowns, with titles like Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG, and Destiny 2 struggling against aimbots and wallhacks. Riot Games launched Valorant with its anti-cheat system, Vanguard, which has effectively deterred cheat developers. Vanguard employs a kernel-level driver that detects unauthorized access attempts and has led to a decrease in traditional software cheats, although some cheaters have shifted to hardware solutions like direct memory access (DMA) techniques. Vanguard has also been successful in detecting and blocking suspicious hardware-level DMA attempts. Currently, triggerbots account for about 80 percent of cheats in Valorant. Vanguard was introduced to League of Legends, resulting in over 175,000 account bans. A study from the University of Birmingham indicated that Valorant has the top anti-cheat system, while other games like Call of Duty: Warzone continue to struggle. Riot is exploring collaborations with Microsoft to enhance security and may adjust Vanguard's activation based on Windows 11 features. There are no plans for Linux support due to risks of kernel manipulation. The potential rise of AI-powered cheats presents a new challenge, as AI could replicate human gameplay, complicating anti-cheat efforts.