Canva, one of the world’s biggest online design platforms has announced a major organisational restructuring which will impact 1,271 employees (about 22% of its global workforce).
The announcement has sparked debate about the future of jobs in tech as artificial intelligence continues to reshape creative work.
The Australian company made the announcement on November 4, 2026 via a message to employees from co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins. She called it “the most difficult moment in Canva’s 13 year history” and apologised to those affected by the changes.
Interestingly, although artificial intelligence was becoming more prevalent across the technology sector in general Canva did not mention AI directly in its official announcement.
Why Is Canva Restructuring Its Workforce
Perkins told employees in her memo that the company needed to “rethink its organisational structure if it’s going to prepare for its next phase of growth.” She noted that Canva’s growth had slowed for the first time in a decade so big changes were required.
The company says the restructuring is intended to create smaller, more independent teams with greater responsibility and decision-making power.
Canva plans to put Product, Growth and Platform teams under one Product organisation; reduce management layers; consolidate overlapping responsibilities; move away from highly specialised team structures.
The idea is to simplify internal operations, eliminate unnecessary coordination and let employees work directly on products.
The restructuring will not be job losses only. Some employees will have their roles changed; others may be asked to relocate to centralised office locations.
The AI Question Behind the Layoffs
Although Canva has avoided directly tying the restructuring to AI, its reference to changing technology has been noticed.
In her announcement Perkins said new technology is changing what people create, how they create it and what they expect from digital products.
The timing is just right. AI-powered design platforms and creative tools are increasingly giving users the ability to generate images, presentations, websites and other content with text instructions only.
This is competition changing across design software. Established platforms are being pushed to innovate, be more efficient and offer more advanced features.
Canva hasn’t stated explicitly that AI is the reason for eliminating or restructuring these positions but its announcement is more about slower growth, organisational complexity and an operating model that needs to be more efficient.
What Happens to Affected Employees
Canva has said it will support employees leaving the company. They will be given at least six months’ salary (including statutory entitlements) wherever they are based, it announced today.
The company has also acknowledged the personal and professional problems created by the decision.
Since we operate in 37 countries the timing of individual employee discussions will depend on local employment requirements.
What Does This Mean for the Tech Industry
Canva’s move shows the challenges major technology companies face as the digital landscape changes quickly.
The company is building its global design platform but the restructuring forces broader questions about workforce needs, productivity and the future of creative work.
Not having AI explicitly mentioned does not mean artificial intelligence didn’t figure in the company’s strategic thinking. Canva’s official explanation is organisational restructuring and slowing growth though.
For thousands of employees, it’s an uncertain new beginning and for the wider technology industry how one of its biggest design platforms adapts to the changing market.
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