How ChatGPT Helped Create a Free PDF Editor for Background Removal

Removing colored backgrounds from PDF files may seem trivial, but in practice, it often presents challenges. For scanned sheet music on yellow paper, standard tools like Photoshop required manual adjustments for each image, consuming significant time. Directly using ChatGPT for file processing was also unsuitable, as the AI could introduce unwanted changes to the content, which is critical for musical notation.

The author solved the problem by asking ChatGPT to generate a Python script that operates on a clear algorithm. The script analyzes each pixel of the image: if it is not black or gray (accounting for slight shades), it is replaced with white. This approach preserved the original quality and avoided the uncertainty inherent in neural networks. The tool supports multi-page PDFs and operates via the command line, simplifying batch file processing.

The finished script is available in the author’s GitHub repository. An example of its use is demonstrated on a public domain work from the New York Public Library archive. This approach shows how AI can be leveraged not directly, but to create deterministic tools that solve specific tasks without the risk of distortion. This is particularly relevant for tasks requiring precision, such as working with documents or graphic materials.