Microsoft has made the decision to discontinue Paint 3D, the 3D-focused image editor that was introduced as part of a creator-focused update to Windows 10 in 2017. This move signifies a shift in focus towards enhancing the classic MS Paint app with new AI-powered features.
While Paint 3D, which offered a modern take on the original MS Paint with 2D and 3D image editing and creation capabilities, will no longer be updated or available for download starting November 4, 2024, users who have it installed will still be able to utilize the app.
The decision to discontinue Paint 3D appears to stem from Microsoft’s increasing investment in AI-powered features across its software suite. With the advent of the generative AI boom, MS Paint has been integrated with AI-powered image generation tools and features like one-click background removal. This signifies a clear preference for leveraging the simplicity and familiarity of the original MS Paint while harnessing the power of AI.
Paint 3D, with its ability to import 3D shapes and objects into images, was initially seen as a tool that complemented Microsoft’s interest in augmented reality and technologies like HoloLens. However, with the focus shifting towards AI, the app’s unique features seem to have taken a backseat.
The classic MS Paint, with its unchanged simple interface, has become a beneficiary of this AI-driven evolution. The integration of AI features alongside smart updates like one-click background removal is likely to keep MS Paint a mainstay on Windows for the foreseeable future.
