Graphic design platform Canva has announced a major restructuring that will affect 1,271 employees, or about 22% of its workforce, as the company adapts to slowing growth and rising investments in artificial intelligence.
In a message to staff, Canva co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins described the move as the “hardest moment” in the company’s 13-year history. The changes will include job cuts, role adjustments, and relocation requirements for some employees.
Perkins said Canva’s growth had slowed for the first time in a decade, while rapid advances in AI have reshaped customer expectations and increased the cost of developing new products and services. The company also plans to centralize more product teams in Sydney and will require hybrid employees to spend two to three days a week in the office beginning next year.
Canva, one of Australia’s most prominent technology companies, has faced valuation pressures in recent months amid concerns over the impact of AI on the design software industry and the costs associated with integrating the technology into its platform.
