Microsoft Locks AI Features in Notepad and Paint Behind Microsoft 365 Paywall

Microsoft has announced that several new features in Notepad and Paint, such as AI text rewriting in Notepad and AI image generation in Paint, will be restricted to Microsoft 365 subscribers. Previously, Windows Insiders could use these features for free, but Microsoft is now putting them behind a paywall. This means even core Windows apps like Notepad and Paint now require a paid subscription to unlock advanced AI capabilities. The move has sparked some controversy, as Notepad and Paint have historically been free components of Windows.