In 2025, Canva is expecting the new and the old to come together. Silvia Oviedo, Head of Content & Discovery at Canva, says, “Analog Meets AI embodies this blend, where timeless techniques like collage and human craftsmanship meet the boundless potential of Artificial Intelligence. This intersection of past and present opens up exciting design possibilities, tapping into a sweet spot where creativity and technology enhance each other.”
Consequently, two key trends stood out for Oviedo this year: one is the blending of AI with human creativity, and the other is the evolution of video. Generative AI has been a revelation, enabling organizations to automate repetitive tasks and free up time for their teams to focus less on admin and more on creativity and driving impact. With video, we see the social space continuing to move in this direction, with the format evolving and becoming more fluid.
Furthermore, in India, in particular, “hyper-localization has been key to build deeper resonance with our diverse, vibrant community,” Oviedo says in a conversation with Storyboard18 while explaining the key highlights for the Canva team this year and the defining trends that stood out for her.
Edited excerpts:
What were the key highlights for you and your teams in 2024?
2024 has been a game changing year for Canva. We now have over 220 million users every month; 30 billion designs created in Canva, with 38.5 million designs made daily. We unveiled some of our most innovative products; acquired new companies, and the Canva team has grown to over 4,500 employees globally.
Our first decade was all about empowering every individual to design. Now, we’re doubling down on empowering organizations and teams of all sizes to design and collaborate together too. Our flagship event, Canva Create, unveiled this new era, introducing a custom solution for global enterprises, Canva Enterprise. As visual communication becomes essential in the workplace, today, more than 95% of the Fortune 500 are using Canva to create, collaborate, and communicate.
Education continued to be a mainstay this year as well for us; we’re excited to now empower over 85 million students and teachers as they unleash their creativity and work toward their goals. Equipping students with essential visual communication skills is key in today’s visually-driven world, and it’s an honor to support millions of students worldwide on this journey through Canva for Education.
For me personally, something I’m really proud of this year is our focus on hyper-localisation and creating a ‘truly local’ product that caters to our community’s diverse and unique creative needs, irrespective of which part of the world they’re from. We’ve made big strides with a range of locally relevant content, templates and elements now being available on Canva; the addition of Artlist, pocstock, popular music templates from Warner and Sony,
and Getty images, have kept our content library fresh, inclusive, and relevant.
Just as we’ve scaled our operations in markets like Spain, Brazil, and the UK, we’re excited to replicate this success in India. We launched our first-ever local brand campaign in India – “Dil Se, Design Tak.” As our fifth largest market, the country’s thriving digital landscape and growing love for Canva presents a significant opportunity for us to go deeper in building adoption. Our campaign helped us reach a massive audience of over
100 million active internet users in urban India including professionals, small and large enterprises, students, teachers, and content creators.
What defining trends stood out for you in 2024?
I think this year, creativity was cemented as the ultimate mainstay in today’s competitive landscape. Imaginative thinking and visual communication are no longer just buzzwords – they’re the driving forces behind audience growth and customer satisfaction.
Two key trends stood out for me this year: one is the blending of AI with human creativity, and the other is the evolution of video. Generative AI has been a revelation, enabling organizations to automate repetitive tasks and free up time for their teams to focus less on admin and more on creativity and driving impact. With video, we see the social space continuing to move in this direction, with the format evolving and becoming more fluid.
In India, in particular, hyper-localization has been key to build deeper resonance with our diverse, vibrant community. We’ve introduced multiple Indian languages in our Magic Studio tools, ensuring a seamless and immersive experience. We also host an array of bespoke local templates and elements that celebrate India’s rich cultural heritage. To further enhance the experience, we’ve optimized our platform for our Indian community with localized onboarding, payment methods, and flexible plans.
How did the rise of AI and generative AI impact your industry this year?
Canva has been exploring and investing in AI for over seven years, starting with the use of Machine Learning for personalized recommendations back in 2017. We’ve since introduced over a dozen native AI tools as part of Magic Studio, our all-in-one AI offering, which is designed to remove friction and add inspiration into the design
process.
I think this year, with our AI tools now having been used over 10 billion times, we truly got to witness how AI is transforming visual design, enabling faster creation, allowing for hyper-personalization and greater accessibility. It’s also helped in scaling productivity by automating repetitive tasks, giving designers and creatives the room to visually explore and innovate. What we’re also noticing is that, while our users are seeking the refinement and endless possibilities that come with AI, they also want the quirks, imperfections, and nostalgia that are associated with being human. This harmonious blend of creativity and technology opens up exciting design possibilities, as we get into 2025.
As AI generated content becomes more widely used by brands and creators, it’s creating a new paradigm for designers and creatives. We’re also focused on ensuring creators have an opportunity to benefit from the AI era, and empowering creatives to use AI to scale their work.
What disruptive trends will take the spotlight in 2025?
In our visual-first world we are expecting teams, individuals, students, teachers and enterprises to go deeper in their journey to blend creativity into their daily work in 2025.
2025 is the year nostalgic, handcrafted design meets the precision of new technology. Here are some of the key design trends to watch out for:
Analog Meets AI: In 2025, we’re expecting the new and the old to come together. Analog Meets AI embodies this blend, where timeless techniques like collage and human craftsmanship meet the boundless potential of Artificial Intelligence. This intersection of past and present opens up exciting design possibilities, tapping into a sweet spot where creativity and technology enhance each other.
Shape Theory: Bringing a fresh twist to design by balancing nostalgia with innovation, creating visuals that feel both familiar and forward-thinking. This modular style uses bold shapes to create structure, complemented by back-lit photography and warm colors for a personal touch. It’s the perfect blend of
functional and friendly. This trend offers something for everyone – from professional designers crafting standout brand visuals to enterprise teams looking for designs that resonate with a wide audience.
Opulence Era: This trend balances minimalist aesthetics with rich and luxurious details, evoking understated glamour. It’s ideal for professional branding, creative portfolios, and websites.
Serious Fun: A playful yet strategic approach that blends humor with professionalism, making work feel more enjoyable. This trend reminds us that even the most serious projects benefit from a touch of modern relevance and creativity, making designs not only effective, but an enjoyable experience.
Future in Motion: Animation and 3D design are more accessible than ever, and Future in Motion transforms static visuals into dynamic experiences. This trend is all about bringing designs to life through storytelling: think subtle motion gradients and dynamic motion typography to create rhythm and flow.
Refined Grit: A stripped-back aesthetic that embraces boldness and individuality. This trend is all about challenging conventional norms and expressing distinct visual voices. Refined Grit empowers you to create designs that aren’t just unique but packed with cool, unapologetic character.
Mechanical Botanical: Blending nature with tech, Mechanical Botanical captures a harmony where the organic meets the engineered – a natural fit for a generation that sees technology as second nature. This trend combines sleek digital elements with natural textures and earthy colors, creating a look that’s both futuristic and grounded.
What is your New Year’s resolution?
In 2025, we’re committed to doubling-down on everything that we’ve set in motion over the last year – whether that be expanding our tools for large enterprises, scaling our communities in newer markets, listening intently to our users or innovating to empower individuals and teams to achieve their creative goals. We’re also really excited to continue our focus on the Indian market, working closely with the local creative community and tapping into local trends.
Read More:Canva is used by 60 million students and teachers globally: Ruoshan Tao