Microsoft is adding AI-generated art to its suite of Office software with a new app named Microsoft Designer.

The app functions the same way as AI text-to-image models like DALL-E and Stable Diffusion, letting users type prompts to “instantly generate a variety of designs with minimal effort.” Microsoft says Designer can be used to create everything from greeting cards and social media posts to illustrations for PowerPoint presentations and logos for businesses.

Essentially, AI-generated imagery looks set to become the new clip art.

The app isn’t ready for a full launch though, and Microsoft is only offering a limited web preview. “We’re inviting people to try it out, give us feedback, and help us make it great,” writes Microsoft vice president Liat Ben-Zur in a blog post. Once it’s ready, Designer will be available as both a free standalone app and a more feature-filled version that will be available to paying Microsoft 365 subscribers.

In addition to launching Designer, Microsoft is also adding an AI text-to-image model to its search engine Bing. Details on how this feature will work are slim, but Microsoft says the new “Image Creator from Microsoft Bing” will help users “bring [their] ideas to life.” In a blog post, Ben-Zur said, “Simply type in a description of something, any additional context like location or activity, and an art style, and Image Creator will make it for you.”

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