Canva Launches Canva Craft, Its First Custom Image Generation Model

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Canva introduces Canva Craft, a two-stage AI model for image generation offering users precise custom designs, improved quality, and cost efficiency, available now on its platform and via API.

Design platform Canva has launched its first proprietary image generation model, Canva Craft, developed by its internal research team to compete with offerings from tech giants such as Google, OpenAI, ByteDance, and Meta. This strategic move signals Canva’s commitment to enhancing creative AI capabilities tailored specifically for design-oriented image generation.

Canva Craft employs a two-stage process to create images. In the initial stage, it interprets user prompts and devises a detailed plan encompassing spatial arrangements, object scale, visual hierarchy, and necessary text generation. In the following stage, the model produces images up to 2K resolution with support for up to 30 different aspect ratios suitable for diverse platforms. This method enables the generation of images with accurate object details and legible text elements.

A distinctive aspect of Canva Craft’s training is its reliance on human-designed templates from Canva’s extensive library—not traditional photographs. These templates include posters, social media posts, presentations, infographics, menus, and typography-rich layouts. As a result, images generated by Canva Craft can seamlessly convert into layered designs using Canva Magic, Canva’s image-to-design transformer launched last year that understands design layers.

The model is accessible today through the Dream Lab tab on Canva’s platform to all users and is also offered via Canva’s API. Additionally, Canva plans to integrate Canva Craft with third-party chatbot platforms such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini through its MCP (Multimodal Creative Platform). This integration is expected to expand the model’s usability beyond Canva’s own ecosystem.

Canva highlighted that introducing Canva Craft is expected to reduce API costs they previously incurred by relying on external image generation services. Beyond financial efficiency, the new model offers the platform enhanced quality control and faster generation speeds.

In 2024, Canva acquired Leonardo.ai, a media generation platform, whose researchers significantly contributed to developing Canva Craft. This collaboration underscores Canva’s drive to consolidate expertise in AI-driven creative tools.

Looking ahead, Canva is developing two streamlined iterations of the model—named Craftfast and Craft-ultrafast—aimed at providing more cost-effective image generation options to users and anticipates releasing these versions soon.

Despite a robust revenue run nearing $4 billion last year, Canva recently adjusted its growth forecast for 2026 downward, which external analysts say led to a valuation drop from $42 billion to approximately $35 billion. Nonetheless, the rollout of Canva Craft indicates the company’s focus on innovation and sustainable scalability in AI-powered creative solutions.