Microsoft appears intent on distancing itself from the label 'Microslop,' yet its recent addition to OneDrive appears to align with such characterizations.
The OneDrive Photos Restyle tool stands out primarily for its apparent lack of necessity and for avoiding any reference to 'Copilot.'
This functionality essentially transplants the 'Restyle Image' capability from the Windows Photos application directly into OneDrive. Users with images stored in OneDrive can now modify them extensively, such as converting them to resemble cyberpunk scenes, potentially streamlining the process by eliminating the need to switch to the Photos app.
In the past, the process involved retrieving an image from OneDrive, loading it into the Photos app, and then using AI-driven adjustments. These modifications enable applying predefined styles—like turning a photo into a Renaissance artwork or an anime illustration—or customizing via AI-generated instructions. Such capabilities mirror those available in various AI image editing platforms for more than a year.
The update is being deployed across OneDrive's iOS, Android, and web platforms, though access is limited to subscribers of the Microsoft 365 Premium plan.
Previously, a similar release might have carried the 'Copilot' branding. The absence here represents a small positive step, but it fails to change the perception that this remains a superficial AI enhancement akin to prior offerings, complete with the requirement for a premium subscription costing around $200 annually, which many view as excessive.
The company probably developed this addition well in advance and proceeded with its launch amid shifting attitudes toward AI integration in Windows products. Dropping the Copilot label seems like a superficial public relations tactic, whereas Microsoft would benefit more from addressing persistent practical problems in its operating system.
Mark has contributed to PCWorld over the past ten years, drawing on three decades of expertise in technology reporting. He has produced more than 3,500 pieces for the publication, focusing on areas like PC processors, hardware accessories, and Microsoft Windows, among others. His work has appeared in outlets such as PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Popular Science, and Electronic Buyers' News, earning a Jesse H. Neal Award for news coverage. Recently, he cleared out a stockpile of Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs due to space constraints in his workspace.