Artificial intelligence is reshaping designers’ workflows

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way professionals create layouts, cutting down the time between the initial idea and the first visual version. Tools like Canva and Figma have integrated AI features that enable users to generate proposals, edit elements, and automate tasks that previously required hours of manual work.

At Canva, the process starts with a brief

Canva leverages AI to create designs from brief descriptions, retouch images, and adapt existing elements. The platform recently launched Canva AI 2.0, which can generate editable layered compositions from a single command, ensuring each component remains independent so that specific adjustments don’t compromise the overall design.

For example, a command could be: “Create a presentation for a finance course launch, with a minimalist design and space for three charts.” The AI generates an initial version, after which the creative direction phase begins: the designer decides what to keep, replaces images, adjusts the visual identity, corrects proportions, and removes unnecessary elements.

In image editing, users can select an area and request specific changes, such as replacing an object or altering the background, speeding up the process without eliminating manual refinement.

At Figma, AI is used to explore possibilities

Figma follows a similar approach with its First Draft feature, which converts a description into an editable interface sketch, allowing designers to quickly explore different options before building everything from scratch. The tool can suggest an initial structure for pricing pages, applications, or websites, and designers can request changes via text or directly modify colors, typography, spacing, and other elements.

Figma also offers functions to rewrite, shorten, and translate text within the file itself, as well as automate tasks like layer organization. Meanwhile, Figma Make enables users to transform prompts and existing designs into functional prototypes and web applications.

What remains the designer’s responsibility

The speed of generation doesn’t solve a fundamental problem: a composition may be technically complete but still ineffective. It’s up to the professional to assess whether the visual hierarchy is clear, whether the typography aligns with the project, whether the colors respect the brand identity, and whether the interface facilitates the user’s task.

Therefore, an efficient workflow tends to separate the exploration phase from the decision phase. The change isn’t about handing over the creative process to AI, but about reallocating some of the time spent on execution to stages where the professional’s expertise makes a difference. The easier it becomes to produce an initial version, the more room there is to compare, test, and refine before final delivery.