Microsoft is preparing to 'accelerate' development of Windows 11's AI features, starting with the Paint app (www.techradar.com)

Microsoft has launched a pilot program called Windows AI Labs to speed up development and user validation of AI features for Windows 11, starting with Microsoft Paint. Invitations to join the small, early tester cohort appeared when some users opened Paint (reported by Windows Latest and confirmed by The Verge), though signups are not fully functional yet and the rollout may have been premature. Microsoft frames the lab as an acceleration and validation channel—separate from the existing four preview-build release tracks—focused on rapid customer feedback to assess usability, interest, and market fit before wider deployment. For the AI/ML community this signals Microsoft moving from proof-of-concept AI touches toward a more iterative, customer-driven integration of models into core Windows apps; Paint will be first up and other apps will follow. Expect faster feature cycles and more experimental capabilities—possibly tied to Copilot+ PC offerings—but also the usual beta caveats: instability, feature churn, and potential scrapping of ideas. The program could help Microsoft refine UX and telemetry for OS-level AI, but it may frustrate users who want traditional bug fixes and missing base functionality addressed instead.