With the intention of improving its offerings, Canva, a company devoted to producing tools that enable the creation of social media graphics and presentations, is among several other companies integrating artificial intelligence into its services. Canva has decided to brand its latest functionalities as “Magic” rather than AI.
By providing either an image or text to a prompt, Magic Design is capable of generating a variety of personalized templates for users. Magic Edit enables the incorporation of an object to any image. The Magic Write tool constructs written material, such as website content and summary slides, that can be displayed on a banner or a slide.
As AI gains popularity, companies like Canva face the challenge of introducing an unfamiliar technology to the masses and deciding how much information to divulge about its inner workings.
According to Cameron Adams, who is the co-founder and chief product officer at Canva, individuals who do not center their attention on technology or contemplate on the precise instruments they utilize, such as florists, bank employees, or ordinary citizens, are unlikely to be significantly concerned about this matter. “It will be fairly concealed from their view,” is a possible rephrased sentence. They will witness the progress.
What is the appropriate way for corporations to convey information about artificial intelligence?
Canva, originally catering to graphic designers, has broadened its services to include various office utilities, such as virtual whiteboards and website building, that are easily employable by individuals without any specialized expertise. The platform was introduced in Sydney, Australia, in 2013. The valuation of the startup has reached $25 billion and it boasts a user base of over 110 million active users each month.
As the organization was exploring ways to promote its latest equipment, Adams disclosed that the squad discovered that using the term “magic” was compelling as it encompassed an impressive aspect, simplicity, and was viewed favorably. Clarke, who famously stated that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” This means that if technology is advanced enough, it can seem like a magical or supernatural phenomenon.) The term “Magic” can also allude to a renowned quote by Arthur C. Clarke, a science fiction writer, who asserted that technology that is advanced enough can appear to be magical or supernatural. According to Clarke, technology that is advanced enough can be perceived as magic.
Adams clarified that discussing AI may cause hesitation or reluctance, as it implies interacting with a non-human entity. “When it comes to magic, people are inclined towards experimentation.”
Despite this, the company has implemented footnotes throughout its instruments to prompt users after each interaction that the data being presented was generated through artificial intelligence. Canva promotes the idea of customers sharing their AI usage through the company’s tools, while emphasizing transparency. According to the terms of use of Magic products, if AI is involved in creating any content, it should be made unmistakably clear and easily comprehensible to an ordinary reader. Prior to sharing any AI-generated content, it is users’ responsibility to thoroughly check and approve the output, and misrepresenting said content as human-generated is strictly prohibited.
