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Windows has made a decision to stop updating WordPad, in the upcoming release of Windows, and said it plans to remove the word processor. Instead, the company will recommend Microsoft Word, which is a paid word processor that has always been a more profitable app than the basic WordPad app. It is worth noting that the basic WordPad app has been a part of Windows since Windows 95. 

“WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows,” reads a support note published by Microsoft on Friday, adding that “We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt.”

The announcement of WordPad's removal comes just a day after Microsoft unveiled its plans to enhance Notepad, introducing features such as autosave and automatic tab restoration.

In 2018, Microsoft updated its Windows Notepad application for the first time in years, eventually incorporating tabs into the Windows 11 version. In contrast, WordPad has received considerably less attention. While it received an update with Windows 7's Ribbon UI, it hasn't seen significant additions since a minor redesign in Windows 8. Microsoft has decided to eliminate WordPad entirely in the upcoming Windows release, most likely in Windows 12, anticipated for a 2024 launch, featuring a range of AI-powered capabilities.

Earlier in July, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic announced a new council to monitor the safe development of the most advanced models of AI.

The four influential firms founded the Frontier Model Forum, an organization focused on the "safe and responsible" creation of frontier AI models, meaning AI technology that is more sophisticated than examples currently accessible.

Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, reassured that “Companies creating AI technology have a responsibility to ensure that it is safe, secure, and remains under human control,” detailing that the initiative is "a vital step to bring the tech sector together in advancing AI responsibly and tackling the challenges so that it benefits all of humanity.

According to the forum members, the primary goals are to promote AI safety research like guidelines for assessing models, promoting responsible deployment of advanced AI models, engaging in dialogue with politicians and academics over safety risks in AI as well and assisting in the development of positive uses for the technology like ending global warming and detecting illnesses like cancer.

The members also reassured that firms that build frontier models are welcome to join the association.