Figma’s AI Makeover: Why Its New AI Tools Are a Designer’s Dream Come True

Ever stared at a blank Figma canvas, praying for inspiration, or spent hours renaming layers that sound like a robot’s fever dream? Yeah, me too. But here’s the good news: Figma’s new AI tools, unveiled at Config 2024 and beefed up in 2025, are like a creative sidekick that never sleeps. These features aren’t just bells and whistles—they’re transforming how designers, teams, and even non-designers bring ideas to life. As someone who’s wrestled with clunky prototypes and placeholder text nightmares, I’m over the moon about Figma’s AI-powered design suite. Let’s dive into what these tools do, why they’re a big deal, and how they’re making design faster, smarter, and way more fun. Grab a coffee, and let’s geek out over the future of design!

What’s the Buzz About Figma AI?

Figma AI is a set of artificial intelligence features baked into Figma’s platform—think Figma Design for UI/UX and FigJam for collaborative brainstorming—launched on June 26, 2024, and expanded in 2025. Powered by models like OpenAI’s gpt-image-1 and Anthropic’s Claude 3.7, these tools automate tedious tasks, spark creative ideas, and streamline teamwork. As of May 2025, they’re in open beta, free for now but set to become a paid add-on later, with usage limits during testing.

The vibe? Make design accessible for newbies while giving pros a turbo boost. I got my hands on Figma AI for a freelance gig, needing a quick app mockup. The AI whipped up a layout in seconds, and I was hooked—it was like having a co-designer who’s always on point. Here’s the scoop on what’s live and why it’s turning heads.

Figma AI’s Star Features: What’s Cooking?

Figma’s AI toolkit is packed with goodies that tackle both the grind and the glory of design. Based on Figma’s official updates and my own tinkering, here’s what’s available as of May 2025.

1. First Draft: Your Instant Design Spark

First Draft (previously Make Designs) is like a magic wand for starting projects. Type a prompt—like “minimalist fitness app with a progress tracker”—and boom, you get an editable mockup for apps, websites, or wireframes. It pulls from templates like Basic App or Site Wireframe, using Claude 3.7 for smarts. You can tweak themes, spacing, or borders with quick actions. I tested it for a podcast app, and it delivered a clean layout with buttons and placeholders—basic but enough to get me rolling. It’s a lifesaver for brainstorming or beating blank-page panic.

2. Visual and Asset Search: Hunt Designs Like a Pro

Visual Search is your design detective. Upload an image, select a canvas chunk, or describe what you need, and it finds matching designs in your team’s files. Figma’s planning to extend this to Community files soon, with credit to creators. I used it to find a card style buried in a teammate’s project—saved me ages of scrolling. Asset Search does the same for components or patterns, trained on public Community data for precision. It’s like having a bloodhound for your design library.

3. Replace Content: Bye-Bye, Placeholder Text

No more “lorem ipsum” nonsense. Replace Content generates realistic text for headlines, UI labels, or body copy, tailored to your design’s context. You can switch tones (think friendly to formal), translate, or adjust length. I tried it on a mock landing page, and it swapped gibberish for punchy product copy that fit the brand vibe. It’s like hiring a copywriter who works for free and doesn’t need lunch breaks.

4. Rename Layers: Chaos to Clarity

If your layers are a mess of “Group 12” or “Shape 99,” Rename Layers is your new best friend. One click, and AI names them sensibly—like “Footer” or “Icon.” I used it on a file that looked like a layer apocalypse, and it made my panel usable again. It’s not flawless—some names are vague—but it’s a massive time-saver, especially for handoffs to picky teammates.

5. Make Prototype: Clickable Designs in a Snap

Make Prototype (aka Add Interactions) turns static designs into interactive prototypes with one click. AI adds basic animations and links frames, so you can test flows without wiring every button. I tried it on a checkout flow, and it connected my screens with slick transitions in seconds. Complex flows need extra love, but it’s a killer starting point for client demos or user testing.

6. Image Tools: Visuals That Pop

Figma AI’s image suite, powered by gpt-image-1, includes Make an Image, Edit Image, and Boost Resolution. Generate visuals from prompts (e.g., “retro logo”), remove backgrounds, or sharpen blurry images. You can pick models like Gemini Imagen 3 or Titan V2 for specific tasks. I used Remove Background for a product mockup, and it isolated my subject cleaner than my old Photoshop hacks. It’s a shortcut to pro-looking visuals without leaving Figma.

7. FigJam AI: Brainstorming on Steroids

In FigJam, Figma’s whiteboard tool, AI organizes chaos. It generates diagrams from keywords, sorts feedback, or summarizes sticky notes. During a team brainstorm, I used it to turn our scattered ideas into a tidy flowchart—saved us an hour of arguing over Post-its. It’s perfect for remote teams or when your brainstorming session looks like a toddler’s art project.

How Figma AI Fits Your Workflow

Figma AI’s not here to steal your design job—it’s here to make it more fun. Here’s how it weaves into real life, from my own projects and Figma’s vision:

• Kickstarting Ideas: First Draft and Visual Search jumpstart projects with mockups or inspiration from your files.
• Prototyping Fast: Make Prototype and Auto-Animate let you test designs without hours of setup.
• Polishing Up: Replace Content, Rename Layers, and image tools make your work client-ready in half the time.
• Teamwork: FigJam AI aligns designers, devs, and stakeholders by organizing feedback and ideas.
• Dev Handoff: Figma Make creates functional prototypes or code, smoothing the designer-developer handoff.

For a client pitch, I used First Draft to mock up a dashboard, then Replace Content for realistic text. The client was wowed, and I didn’t pull an all-nighter. That’s the kind of win I’m talking about.

Who’s Loving Figma AI?

This toolkit’s for everyone in the design game:

• UI/UX Designers: Automate naming, generate drafts, or prototype faster.
• Marketing Crews: Craft on-brand assets with Figma Buzz or edit visuals with AI.
• Developers: Use Figma Make for prototypes or Figma Sites for web code.
• Beginners: First Draft makes design approachable, no pro skills needed.
• Teams: FigJam AI keeps brainstorming sessions tight and productive.

A freelance designer pal said Rename Layers cut her handoff time by a third—her devs stopped grumbling, and that’s a miracle.

Figma AI vs. the Competition

Figma’s not the only player in AI design. Here’s the rundown:

• Canva AI: Awesome for quick social graphics but weaker for UI/UX or dev handoffs. Figma’s design system integration wins for pros.
• Adobe Express: Great for marketing but lacks Figma’s real-time collaboration and prototyping depth.
• Plugins: Tools like Magestic mimic some AI tricks, but Figma’s native features are seamless—no plugin juggling required.

I pitted Canva’s AI against Figma’s Buzz for a poster. Canva was quick, but Figma’s output was more flexible and stayed true to my brand without extra tweaks.

The Not-So-Perfect Bits

Figma AI’s a gem, but it’s got quirks:

• Beta Limits: It’s open beta, with usage caps and admin-controlled access for Pro, Org, and Enterprise plans.
• Generic Drafts: First Draft can feel bland without detailed prompts. My first mockup needed heavy editing to match my style.
• Code Gaps: Figma Make generates code, but complex apps still need dev work. Builder.io’s Visual Copilot is stronger here.
• AI Hiccups: Text or image outputs can have errors. I caught a weird tone in Replace Content that needed fixing.

Figma’s upfront about these, stressing that AI’s a helper, not a magic fix.

Privacy: What’s the Deal?

Figma’s got your back on data. Your designs aren’t used for AI training unless your admin opts in, and Org/Enterprise plans are opted out by default. Education and Government accounts are fully excluded from training. Generated content is yours, and usage logs are kept separate. I toggled my team’s settings to opt out—super easy in the admin panel.

What’s Next for Figma AI?

Figma’s cooking up more. They’re linking First Draft to custom design systems for brand-perfect mockups and expanding Visual Search to Community files. AI-powered code for Figma Sites is also on the horizon. With Diagram’s acquisition fueling their AI team, I’m betting on big reveals at Config 2026.

Wrapping Up: Figma AI’s Your New Design Pal

Figma’s AI tools are like a shot of espresso for your design process—cutting the slog and boosting the spark. From instant mockups to organized brainstorms, they’re making design more accessible and fun for everyone. Sure, the beta’s got some rough edges, but it’s already a game-changer. Whether you’re a solo creator or on a big team, Figma AI’s worth a spin.