A controversy has erupted surrounding Canva’s Magic Layers feature, an AI-powered tool designed to break down flat images into editable components, after it was discovered to be replacing the word ‘Palestine’ in user designs. The feature, which is not intended to make visible changes to user content, was found to be automatically changing the phrase ‘cats for Palestine’ to ‘cats for Ukraine’.

The issue appeared to be specific to the word ‘Palestine’, as related terms such as ‘Gaza’ were not affected. Canva has since resolved the issue and is taking steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The company’s swift response aims to address the concerns of its users and ensure that its AI tools are used responsibly and without bias. The incident highlights the importance of carefully testing and monitoring AI-powered features to prevent unintended consequences.

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