Canva launches AI image tool Craft after valuation loss

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 04:32 · Archive

Canva has launched Canva Craft, a homegrown AI image generator that ranks above tools from Google, Microsoft and xAI in independent tests.

Australian tech company Canva has launched Canva Craft, a homegrown AI image generator. Independent tests by Design Arena rank Craft above Microsoft's MAI-Image, Google's Nano Banana and xAI's Grok Imagine, with only three models from OpenAI ranking higher.

The launch comes two months after Canva postponed its AI product announcement in August due to high costs of providing the tools to non-paying users. That setback wiped $10bn from the company's valuation. Canva Craft is trained on millions of human-made posters, social posts, infographics and presentations rather than photographs. Design Arena ranks Craft first for generating images of people and nature and landscapes, second for abstracts, fourth for products, and fifth for marketing materials.

Canva says building and owning its own AI models gives the company complete control over cost, quality and speed. A Canva spokesperson stated that this allows the company to deploy AI to its hundreds of millions of monthly users. Canva Research has tripled staff numbers in a year, with more models to follow. Craft will be available to external developers and AI agents.

How it is being reported

• Canva launches homegrown AI tool Craft that beats Google and Microsoft in testsMonths after a costly false start wiped $10bn from its valuation, an Australian tech giant has launched a product that outranks Google, Meta and Microsoft.Perth Now · 23 Oct, 03:56
• Canva launches homegrown AI tool Craft that beats Google and Microsoft in testsMonths after a costly false start wiped $10bn from its valuation, an Australian tech giant has launched a product that outranks Google, Meta and Microsoft.The West Australian · 23 Oct, 03:56

In this story: Canva · Google · Microsoft · xAI · ByteDance · OpenAI · Meta · Australia

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