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Canva’s new editing tool adds layers to AI-generated designs

TL;DR

Canva launches 'Magic Layers': the tool automatically separates flat image files and AI-generated visuals into individually editable layers.

Key Points

  • Rolling out as a public beta today in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia – global availability still unclear.
  • After conversion, objects, text boxes, and graphic elements can be moved, adjusted, or deleted without rebuilding the layout from scratch.
  • Canva's CPO Cameron Adams calls it a 'breakthrough from the AI research team' – PR-heavy framing, but the underlying tech is genuinely non-trivial.

Nauti's Take

This is one of the rare AI features where the use case is immediately obvious. Flat-image-to-layers is a classic design headache, and Canva is solving it with a single click instead of hours of manual work.

The real test will be how well the AI handles messy or complex compositions – that's where these tools typically fall apart. Anyone already using Canva daily should jump into the beta right away.

Sources