Canva slows AI rollout as inference costs bite, Figma absorbs expenses for new tools

Canva was the rare startup that grew fast and made money—then AI costs slashed its growth forecast by a third…

Canva cut revenue growth forecast to 20% from 30% as generative AI inference costs exceeded expectations, forcing the company to slow feature rollout while improving unit economics. The shift signals SaaS's zero-marginal-cost model is breaking: recurring AI compute now compresses margins for players like Figma (FCF fell from 27% to 14%), reshaping viable growth trajectories ahead of potential IPOs.