Canva launches Canva Craft, its first in-house image generation model
Craft is open to all users now, with cheaper variants planned and a valuation drop reported at the same time.
Canva has launched Canva Craft, its first in-house image generation model, built by its research team to rival offerings from Google, OpenAI, ByteDance and Meta. The model works in two stages: it first drafts a plan covering element placement, relative scale, visual hierarchy and text content, then renders an image at up to 2K resolution across more than 30 aspect ratios. Canva says this structure yields more accurate objects and legible text, and allows edits that leave the rest of an image untouched. Rather than photographs, it was trained on human-made templates from Canva's library, and images can be converted into layered, editable designs via Canva Magic. Craft is available to all users now through the Dream Lab tab and the Canva API, with plans for third-party chatbot support via MCP and cheaper Craft-fast and Craft-ultrafast variants to come. The launch comes as Canva's valuation reportedly fell from $42 billion to $35 billion after it cut its 2026 growth forecast.
Why it matters
Canva is moving from relying on outside image models to building its own, with a design-focused approach that trains on its library of human-made templates rather than photographs. For users, the model is available now through the Dream Lab tab and the Canva API, and images can be converted into layered, editable designs. The launch arrives as Canva's valuation is reported to have fallen from $42 billion to $35 billion after it cut its 2026 growth forecast, so the model's reception will be watched alongside that financial pressure.
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Sources
- TechCrunch
- The Verge