Canva AI 2.0 Recasts Platform as Agentic System Running Proprietary Models 7x Faster Than Frontier Alternatives

SiliconANGLE·high signal

Canva launched AI 2.0 on April 16 as a research preview (first 1M users), converting its design platform into a conversational agentic system running on three proprietary models: Proteus (style transfer), Lucid Origin (image generation), and I2V (image-to-video), claimed to be up to 7x faster and 30x cheaper than comparable frontier models. The system includes persistent memory across sessions, enterprise connectors, and automated publishing workflows. A design platform building and deploying its own models — not just wrapping OpenAI — marks a notable shift in the build-vs-buy calculus for vertical AI.