According to TechCrunch, design tool Figma launched new AI-powered image editing features today, including the ability to remove and isolate objects and expand images. The company said these features will save users from exporting images to other tools and importing them back. The improved lasso tool can now select an object to delete it, isolate it for moving, or adjust its lighting and color. An image expansion feature helps fill in backgrounds when adjusting creatives for different formats, like turning a square image into a banner. All these editing tools are being collated into one new toolbar for easier access. The features are available now on Figma Design and Draw, with plans to roll them out across all Figma tools next year.
The Long-Overdue Catch-Up Game
Here’s the thing: this is a classic case of a platform playing feature catch-up. TechCrunch notes that rivals like Adobe and Canva have had object removal for years. So Figma isn’t breaking new ground here. It’s filling a glaring gap in its own toolkit. For a tool built around streamlining the design process, it was always a bit silly that you’d have to bounce out to another app just to delete a stray object or extend a background. This move is less about innovation and more about basic usability. It’s table stakes now.
The Context Is Everything
And the timing is fascinating. This launch happened on the same day Adobe made some of its own AI features available within ChatGPT. Figma was a launch partner for the ChatGPT desktop app back in October. So you’ve got this weird dance happening. Are they partners or competitors? Probably both. It highlights how every software layer is now getting an AI injection, and the lines between where these features “live” are blurring. Will Figma’s new tools work inside ChatGPT? Who knows. But the scramble to embed AI into every right-click menu is fully underway.
The Real Win Is Centralization
The most practical impact might just be that new toolbar. Pulling scattered functions like background removal, annotation, and now these AI edits into one place is a smart UX play. If it keeps designers in their flow, that’s a genuine productivity win. The promise is less tab-switching, less app-juggling. But there’s always a trade-off. Built-in tools are convenient, but are they as powerful as dedicated ones like Photoshop? Probably not. For quick, in-context edits, they’ll be great. For heavy pixel-pushing, pros will likely still escape to their specialized software. Figma’s bet is that most edits are the quick, annoying kind.
What It Means For Designers
Basically, this is good news for everyday workflow. It removes a friction point. You don’t need a subscription to another service for simple tasks. But let’s not get carried away. This isn’t revolutionary AI; it’s utility AI. It’s about finishing the job faster, not about generating the whole concept. And in a world where even Figma itself is a potential acquisition target for Adobe, every feature it adds is another thread tying users to its platform. The goal is clear: make it so you never have a reason to leave.
