Microsoft set to add AI-powered live wallpapers to Windows 11

It looks like Microsoft is prepping to bring AI-powered live wallpapers to the Windows 11 operating system. To recap, the Redmond-based tech giant announced it is bringing AI to Windows 11 back in May.

In line with this, the company introduced Windows Copilot AI-powered assistant for Windows 11 Insiders earlier this year. Now, internal documents spotted by the folks at Windows Latest suggest at least one more AI-powered feature is headed to Windows 11.

Apparently, this purported AI-powered feature can revolutionise how users interact with the desktop. In other words, it will make the desktop more interactive. Despite Microsoft president Brad Smith's warning that AI can be weaponised, the company is sparing no effort to be at the forefront of the AI segment.

As part of its effort, Microsoft has already integrated AI into the Edge browser, Bing and Azure. Now, the American technology giant is set to introduce a newfangled feature that will make desktop backgrounds more "livable".

How does the new AI feature work?

The feature will adjust the perception of depth to make some wallpapers appear as if they are popping out when a user moves their cursor or device. Moreover, their background could shift or move when you move your device or interact with the screen using a mouse.

Microsoft could add a parallax effect to the desktop background of Windows 11 OS via a future update. As a result, the wallpaper image will move slower than the screen's content. This effect is usually seen on modern web pages and it provides an illusion of depth while making the user interface feel more alive.

However, it is worth noting that you may need modern hardware to access some of the upcoming AI features. For instance, the AI depth wallpaper effects will appear better on devices that feature sensors to detect movement. Since the feature can work with cursor/mouse movement, it will not be limited to tablets.

According to the Windows Latest report, Microsoft is internally testing new ways to help users personalise the desktop background. For example, the Windows 11 23H2 update will add Spotlight support to the desktop, giving users access to Bing's wallpaper of the day.

While it is still unclear when the parallax effect for wallpapers will come to testers, it will definitely be the next big change.

Other AI features coming to Windows 11

One of the latest updates for the Windows 11 app store introduced a new AI Hub, which is simply an AI-powered section that highlights apps that are powered by AI. Also, Microsoft added a new "AI reviews" section in the new Store version earlier this month.

Rather than checking the positive and negative reviews, you can check the Store's AI reviews, which will help you decide whether the given app is good. The word on the street is that Microsoft is testing AI in MS Paint. Reportedly, the classic graphics editor will get Bing AI's image generation feature.