
Note, Paint and Snip With AI: Microsoft Adds New Features, but Not for Everyone
Three longtime staples of the Microsoft ecosystem are getting artificial intelligence enhancements, but they won't necessarily be available to all. With the updates, Notepad users will be able to use generative AI to write text; Paint users now can create AI-generated stickers; and Snippet users can deploy a "perfect screenshot" feature.
The catch, however, is that the Notepad AI update will only be available to Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscribers and Paint's new AI features will only work on Copilot Plus PCs.
Everyone will be able to use the new Snippet enhancements, however.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
CIOs tackle talent strategies, org structures as AI takes hold
This story was originally published on CIO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CIO Dive newsletter. Cambridge, Mass. — The rapid pace of AI development is putting CIOs in a tricky spot: Not only are they responsible for deploying tools that can boost productivity, they're also working to ensure the tools can be utilized once deployed. The dynamic has made workforce upskilling efforts a priority. It's up to tech leaders to help shape a culture that enables AI experimentation, according to Monica Caldas, global CIO at Liberty Mutual Insurance. "I do not believe that AI thrives in heavily authoritarian, top-down environments," said Caldas, speaking last week at the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium. "I think the way people pick it up is through play." Along with encouraging experimentation, the risk profile of AI necessitates guardrails as businesses tackle change management. "It's not anarchy, but it's also not authoritarian," Caldas said. "You have to hit that sweet spot, and that's where adoption really starts." Other businesses are preparing their employees through targeted training programs. More than half of leaders said they plan to upskill their workforce ahead of AI implementation plans, according to a January survey from Revature. More than 4 in 5 decision-makers flagged access to talent as a top concern. Potential productivity wins can help existing staff embrace upskilling efforts, said Dimitris Bountolos, chief information and innovation officer at infrastructure company Ferrovial. "What we have seen is an excitement of staff to be self-sufficient in activities that were really bureaucratic," Bountolos said. The deployment of generative AI tools caused a rush of interest in prompt engineering roles. Interest has since fizzled, as businesses began to understand that learning to prompt generative AI systems is a core skill that should be developed more broadly. AI savviness should be embraced by the entire organization, according to Reshmi Ramachandran, head of partnerships and go to market strategy at consulting firm Cprime. "When we consult with companies we often tell them: never do prompt engineering in isolation. It's not an isolated job, it is actually a cross-functional skill," Ramachandran said. "You get some of your best prompts from marketing leaders, from HR, because that's where the context is." In addition to changes in job functions, departmental structures are also evolving. The wave of AI adoption is helping to accelerate a shift away from the established pyramid-shaped organizational structures in software development, according to Aamer Baig, senior partner, Chicago, at McKinsey & Company. "In the last decade or so, we've proven that is not the most effective and economical way of delivering software," said Baig. A diamond-shaped model with a team of somewhere between eight to 12 was identified as the most effective. But with the influx of agentic AI, that organizational structure is also changing. "Now, we have a new model, which is enabled and powered by AI, that has a product person, product builders and many, many agents to support, which can deliver as much output as a diamond-shaped team does," Baig said. In addition to serving as CIO, tech executives will need to take on additional roles including "chief influencing officer, chief change management officer" as organizations adjust to shifts in their core talent and operational structures. "The ability to move that sort of organization and that complexity forward will differentiate the winners and the losers in large companies," Baig said.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Meta Partners With Anduril to Develop XR Headsets for US Military
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Yeah, this sounds totally normal and safe and not a risk to anybody or anything at all, while also being totally on-brand for 2025. Today, Meta, in partnership with XR company Anduril, has announced a new project which will see the two companies design new VR and AR elements for American military troops. As per Anduril: 'Anduril and Meta are partnering to design, build, and field a range of integrated XR products that provide warfighters with enhanced perception and enable intuitive control of autonomous platforms on the battlefield. The capabilities enabled by the partnership will draw on more than a decade of investment by both companies in advanced hardware, software, and artificial intelligence.' So Meta's now building tech to help the U.S. Defense Force in field battles. Sounds fine, all good, should be a good use of Meta's data. And the deal does, of course, make logical sense. Meta's made significant advancements in AR and VR technologies, especially in regards to compacting the key elements of such into smaller, more lightweight units, primarily to enhance consumer utility. Anduril, meanwhile, is focused on developing the next generation of military technology, and was founded by former Meta VR chief Palmer Luckey, who brings vast expertise and experience on this front. Though Luckey also has a controversial history, which includes being fired from Meta back in 2016 for making donations to a questionable pro-Trump group. Well, Luckey claims that was the reason, though Meta has refuted the idea that his political leanings were to blame for his unscheduled departure. But either way, Meta and Luckey moved away from each other due to differences in opinion of some sort, which they're now seemingly willing to work through as part of this new project. So what, exactly, will Meta and Anduril be working on? According to The Washington Post, the main initial focus will be a new military headset, as part of a project called 'EagleEye.' Anduril, which took over development of the U.S. Army's Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) from Microsoft in February, is looking to advance the project beyond Microsoft's original version, which had been built upon Microsoft's HoloLens 2 device. The Anduril version will incorporate night-vision and thermal-sensing, along with advanced augmented reality capabilities. Which is where Meta comes in. As noted, Meta has already developed a range of new chips and processing units for its coming AR glasses, and has made significant advances in compact AR tech. Meta's main aim with this is to build AR glasses that can be worn around in your day-to-day life, reducing weight, while also making them more stylish looking. And while style is less of a concern in combat situations, weight and processing power is important, which is why the new partnership with Anduril makes sense. It just feels a little off to be letting Meta into the military, right? Like, they already have all of our data, and they're building AI systems on the back of such. If there were ever a pathway to T-800 type Terminator robots, this could well be it (T-800 being the Arnold type, not the shapeshifting T-1000). Sci-fi hypotheticals aside, the partnership will be beneficial, and both Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg and Luckey have expressed their excitement in working with each other again. So, soon soldiers will be able to post IG Stories updates from the field, by simply speaking a few commands into their headset. Should be fine. Right?
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
ABM Stock Surges 7%: Transformation, Strategic Moves Drive Gains
ABM ABM climbed 7% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's 6% rally. This performance is partly due to a disciplined transformation strategy that's reshaped the company from the inside out. In 2015, ABM launched its bold transformation blueprint — dubbed the 2020 Vision — with a clear mission: to drive long-term, profitable growth through a streamlined, industry-focused operating model. The company centralized functions, built out sales infrastructure and standardized service delivery across high-demand verticals, including janitorial, engineering, HVAC, energy, and mission-critical services, becoming a more agile operator. In 2021, it launched ELEVATE, a next-gen strategic plan focused on digitization, data, and workforce development. The impact is stronger client traction and operational scalability. ABM Industries Incorporated price | ABM Industries Incorporated Quote ABM's 2024 acquisition of Quality Uptime marked a significant shift in the rapidly growing data center space. As AI demand spikes, so does the need for reliable, mission-critical infrastructure. Quality Uptime brings with it capabilities in electrical testing, UPS and breaker maintenance, and power distribution, critical systems for AI-driven facilities. This move elevates ABM to a full-suite provider for data centers, unlocking high-margin growth potential in one of the fastest-expanding segments of the tech industry. ABM is not just growing, it's rewarding. In fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024, the company distributed dividends of $51.9 million, $57.5 million, and $56.5 million, respectively. Additionally, it returned $97.5 million, $138.1 million, and $56.1 million through share repurchases in fiscal 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively. These actions reflect ABM's dedication to enhancing shareholder value and its confidence in the business's long-term potential. With a current ratio of 1.52 versus the industry average of 1.31, ABM maintains a solid financial footing. Its strong liquidity ensures operational agility and reinforces investor confidence, especially in volatile market conditions. ABM has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. Some other top-ranked stocks from the broader Zacks Business Services sector are Marqeta MQ and SPX Technologies SPXC, carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Marqeta has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 28%. MQ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 24.4% on average. SPX Technologies has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 18%. SPXC delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.3% on average. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM) : Free Stock Analysis Report SPX Technologies, Inc. (SPXC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Marqeta, Inc. (MQ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research