Windows 11 Paint app's new AI superpowers require a Copilot+ PC and a Microsoft Account

The Paint app in Windows 11 is going to offer smart new powers for AI-powered image generation, and we've just learned more about the requirements to benefit from this.

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Use a text prompt then refine the image creation by sketching away with the revamped Cocreator (Image Credit: Microsoft)

The Cocreator feature originally debuted in Paint as a typical text-based prompt, as seen in many incarnations across various AI offerings, late on last year as you may recall.

However, the functionality is being pepped up with the ability to sketch in a side-by-side panel to further refine the AI's creation (with a slider to allow Cocreator a freer rein if required, departing more from the sketch into its own ideas).

The new Cocreator has certain requirements, though, as aired by Microsoft in a fresh support document which Neowin stumbled across.

To use it, you'll need a Copilot+ PC (one that delivers over 40 TOPS with its NPU, so the only option will be Snapdragon X Elite laptops - which are imminent), but that's not all. You will also need to be online and signed into a Microsoft Account.

Of course, the latter stipulation won't go down too well with some folks, although it's increasingly becoming a reality that you'll need a Microsoft Account to use Windows at all (with Microsoft recently closing one notable loophole that let you use Windows 11 with a local account).

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