Among all the industries where the risk of generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen ai) has left a visible impact, graphic designing has been witnessed the most transformative change. With Computer Vision and Image Generation Capabilitys of AI Systems, Designing and Editing Visual Content, Logos, And High-Resolution Artwork is Easier and more accessible to people, even with the technical Know-How. This is also created a challenge for enterprises that offer tools and solutions Around the digital image creation process, such as adobe, paper, and Canva,
For the End User, AI Image Generation Resulted in the Ability to Create Designs with just a Single text Prompt. This resulted in a simple but important question – why continue to use complex designing tools if ai can do it for you? The answer, or perhaps the lac thereof, has resulted in almost all of the Major Design Companies Turning to Ai and Finding A Way to Integrate it into their products.
But is this strategy sustainable, or is it just another way to delay the identicable? Gadgets 360 Spoke with Cameron Adams, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at canva to better understand the intricacies of the design world, how the company look at Ai, and What is the Larger Vishan Beheind It.
Interestingly, canva is perhaps one of the best case studies into the matter. Founded in 2013, The Sydney-Based Visual Communications Platform Has recently integrated a wide range of ai tools and launched a Major Enterprise-Focused Suite. The move breaks an age-long tradition of remaining communication-Driven space for Casual Designers, College Students, Social Media Influencers, and Independent Marketers.
For a Community-Focused Product Such as Canva, this Pivot was more Complicated Than a Typical Tech Company. To understand why, we will need to take a step back and look at its journey so far.
Canva’s new enterprise-focused approach
Ever Since Its Inception, Canva Aimed to Solve a Unique Problem for People. Many wanted to create designs and artwork but lacked the knowledge of advanced tools such as Adobe Photoshop. To solve this problem, the company launched a platform where users could design with easy-to-u-u-u-u-u-u-uds and visual interfaces. The product was not aimed at that who was trying to create detailed vectors or art with complex elements but at people who wanted to create birthday invitations, Office Presentations, Pamphlets, Marketing, Marketing Designs, or social media posts.
This difference and user-focused approach of canva line to the building of a strong communication and consistent growth. According to the companyIt Took Eight Years Since Its Inception to Reach 100 Million Monthly Active Users. However, the next 90 million came in just three years (More than 190 million monthly active users in 2024).
Cameron Adams, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at canva
Photo Credit: Canva
However, 2024 was also the year when the Community-Focused Company Made The Major Decision to become more enterprise-ventric with its new sueings for brands and large energy. While this may appear as a strange Pivot, adams beLieves this was a natural progression for the company.
“When we started canva, it was focused a lot on social media and marketing. Saw as we did that is that canva started moving from its very strong base in small to medium businesses and individuals to that people taking it to their workplace and using it, ”SAID Adams.
This transition-of the platform moving out of college durses and marketers’ Realm to Corporate Structures-Arrived Shortly Before the Covid-19 Pandemic Struck. The canva co-founder is explained that this resulted in professionals requires newer ways and tools to communicate and collaborate with others. This is where the popularity of canva grew in the enterprise circles.
“We saw an exponical risk in People using canva. 2024, was focused Around that, “He added.
Deep Dive Into Canva’s Ai Integration
Canva did not only revamp its platform this year but also added a plethora of ai features. These range from a text-to-image generator, a presentation generator, an AI-Powered Photo Editor, and more. While the company has talked a lot about its ai offers, not as much has been talked about their technical details.
During the conversation, we asked adams about the large language models (LLMS) Canva is Using to Power The Ai Tools. He explained that there are three pillars to the features offered to individuals and enterprises. The first is the in-House Foundation. With more than 100 engineers, the company has live book of Machine Learning (Ml) Tools which train visual content created by canva’s design team.
The second pillar involves partnering with leading ai firms to use their technologies to power the ai features. ,Openai is an example of that. We use their llm to drive a lot of the text that we do. So, anyware you can add text, change text style, summarise, or expand it, it is done throwing openai’s GPT Service, “Adam explained.
Canva has partnered with google and uses it llm for its video product. Adam says the main usage of the ai model is for transition effects between video content. The final pillar is the company’s ecosystem.
Last year, it launched a canva development platform and has so far released more than 100 apps in the canva app marketplace. Adams say the company has focused on building a relationship with the app developers and providing them a platform to brings new ai apps that users can benefit from.
Focus on data security
With enterprise clients coming in, harsher scrutiny will also fall on the company’s data security and privacy measures. With a platform like canva, it works in two different ways. The first is to protect the user’s data from bad actors. This is also include not letting the data be used for ai training without consent.
The second is protecting the users from lawsuits over plagiarism or copyright infringement when they publish or commercialise someating generated using ai. For the Latter, Adam Says the Company Has Built A Tool Called Canva Shield, Which Provides Indemnification for Select Enterprise clients for all Ai Outputs at No ExTRA COST. It also adds New Privacy Settings for Creators to Protect their assets.
For the former, adams say the company has taken multiple measures to ensure user data safety is preserved. “We give control to every single canva user over the data and how it gets used with ai. You can turn it on and off whenever you like. Because we want people to be full in control of what they’re doing, “He added.
The problem of deepfakes
AI-Generated Visual Content has also raised Concerns about DeepfakesDeepfakes are synthetically created media that Mimic Real People, Places, Or Events Intending to Spread Fake Information. While canva may not intend that use case of its product, that might as well be a scary side-effect of using ai. So, is the company taking any steps to highlight the content generated using ai?
“We want the transparency of ai-generated content to be very clear to people. Looking at New Technologies and Standards as They Come Out. Answered.
Can Ai Replace Canva?
In a way, canva democratized design after its launch with its user-friendly tools. However, today, AI has further lowered the barrier to entry and made image creation and editing even more accessible. The question that aries here is whats ai tools and platforms can eat up canva’s market share as it once did with complex editing and designing tools.
Adam said, “to be honest, no. We very much see ai as a tailwind for us. The latest technology was the cloud, mobile, and javascript in a browser. So that we used to create the product. “
“Twelve Years Later, AI is now an incredibly powerful technology that you can use in connection with all the other pieces of technology. People to create with ai in a faster fashion, and they can get high-quality content out of it. “
The Balancing Act
Canva’s Enterprise focus opens up new streams of revealed for the company, but it also also come at a big challenge. Visual designs are often dictated by their cultural leanings. If you look at the storefronts in japan or new york and compare them with Mumbai or delhi, you will not note a distinct different difference in the way art conveys a message.
The company solved this problem for the individual users with the help of canva creatures. These were the registered designers on the platform who added templates, icons, and more. They also earn if their creations were used by other paid users. However, this system does not work when careing to brands. Brands Prefer More Control Over the Design Language and Likely Bold Not Resort to Third-Party artists.
This would mean canva would have to take ownership of not only offering enough templates in its Library but also the right tools to provide to provide to provide businesses of different skals in differences. In the Worst-Case Scenario, this can slow down the innovation cycle and act on user feedback, something canva has been known for.
Adams is not unfamiliar with this challenge. He said, “yeah, that’s definitely a fear that we’re very proactively taking on. Improve their Efficiency and the quality of their designs.
Explaining this further, adams highlighted that despite enterprise being a new space for the company, being a part of active decisions with the enterprise customers and listening to their Needs The right product for them.
“Our canva enterprise package was also developed by Product, who administer it through it, or they’re part of the brand team and they working with the brand that’s in canva. Requests from and rolls into the canva enterprise package, ”Adams added.
(Tagstotranslate) Canva ai cameron adams enterprise design tools features data security canva