I Explored 5 AI Design Agents for Faster, Smarter Design Workflows

1. Napkin AI: Best for Quick Visual Storyboards

Napkin AI design agent is a handy tool if you're like me and need to quickly develop visual ideas. Basically, it takes your text and turns it into visuals like infographics, diagrams, and flowcharts. It's all web-based, so you can use it on pretty much any computer with a browser.

What I like most is how incredibly easy it is to use. You don't need any fancy design skills. You just type in your ideas, and Napkin's AI does the work. And the best thing is that it's free to use (at least for now).

Napkin AI's Starter Plan is always free — Get it today!

Signing up to the platform is fast and straightforward. Once I signed up, the welcome page showed up, inviting me to “Create my first Napkin.” In the first step, you need to paste your own text (such as a brief, outline, or idea) or use AI to generate content based on your input or topic. I chose the latter to test this tool.

I used one of the suggested prompts and hit “Continue.” Napkin AI generated a full outline for my business plan, including brand identity, tagline, market positioning, product offering, and marketing strategy. It's great that I could make edits to the copy and easily make improvements as I wish.

During step two, Napkin generates the visuals for the proposal. The design AI agent created relevant, editable visuals to match my content. I was able to choose from multiple visual styles to suit the project’s tone and brand.

In the next step, you can polish the design. I was able to adjust the layout, color, and formatting, and even edit the graphics for clarity and emphasis. The AI agent also generated some style options to improve the visuals and explore different design directions.

Once I am satisfied with everything, I can easily share it with my team for feedback and collaboration by adding them as collaborators or sending a shareable link. I can also download the file as a PDF.

Napkin AI could generate text and visuals in less than a minute, and the process definitely saved me a ton of time compared to trying to create visuals from scratch. The AI does most of the heavy lifting, and the results look clean and professional enough.

Even though Napkin was very useful, I still managed to find a few downsides. For instance, the customization options are a bit limited, so if you're someone who likes to tweak every little detail, you might find it slightly restrictive. Also, sometimes, the AI doesn't quite grasp the context of what you're trying to convey, so you might have to make some adjustments.

It's obviously not on par with its Adobe or Canva counterparts, but Napkin AI is nevertheless an invaluable tool for quickly visualizing ideas and creating those initial drafts. I think the design AI agent’s advantage is in creating quick visual storyboards. If you're brainstorming a project or trying to map out a presentation, it's perfect for getting those initial ideas into a visual format, fast.

What Users Say

Users mostly find Napkin AI a helpful design agent for quickly creating visuals, especially when they need to share ideas efficiently. New designers and non-designers appreciate how easy it is to use, even without design experience, and how it saves a lot of time compared to making visuals from scratch.

Who’s It For?

Napkin AI is highly useful for professionals, educators, content creators, and business teams who need to visualize ideas and information quickly without extensive design expertise. It's ideal for those who want to create engaging presentations, reports, or social media content with visuals like infographics and diagrams, while saving time and effort. It also makes it easy to share ideas clearly and collaborate with others more efficiently.

Other Notable Features

• No prompt engineering required and easy to use without complex commands
• Easy to customize, featuring smart, editable visual suggestions
• High-quality export options or download in presentation-ready formats
• Clear, connected flow between text and visuals
• Built-in tools for real-time feedback and collaboration

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2. Beam’s Canva AI Agent: Best for Automating Canva Workflows

Beam AI already has a reputation for streamlining creative workflows and automating repetitive tasks, often for general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. It integrates with several tools, including Canva.

So, I looked into how its AI design agent works with Canva, and it seems especially useful if you already use Canva regularly. Basically, Beam AI acts as a bridge, allowing AI agents to handle some of the more tedious design tasks within the platform.

I've found that this integration really helps streamline the whole design process. Instead of having designers spend a lot of time on repetitive tasks, like resizing images or updating templates, Beam AI can automate much of that. It frees up the creative team to focus on the bigger picture, like creative ideas and strategy.

For example, Beam AI can automatically generate design templates based on certain rules, which ensures consistency and saves time. It also makes it easier to manage and update templates across different projects, so you don't have to worry about branding getting messed up.

I also saw that Beam AI can adjust designs based on data, which is impressive because it means you can optimize your visuals for better results. Plus, it handles designs in multiple languages, which is another helpful feature if you're working with a global audience.

Beam AI itself is a cloud-based platform, and it's easy to integrate Canva (or other tools) into your existing workflows. You just sign up, follow the steps, and you can start automating things.

Beam AI offers a free trial for all its AI Agent plans!

What Users Say

So far, Beam AI has significantly fewer reviews than other design agents, but the existing feedback is positive. Users appreciate the Beam AI Canva integration for automating design tasks and making workflows faster and more efficient. It reduces manual work, allowing teams to dedicate more of their attention to the creative and strategic aspects of their work.

The platform’s pricing plan, however, is quite steep, so it’s a huge barrier for smaller teams with limited budgets.

Who’s It For?

Beam's Canva AI design agent is perfect for marketers who need to generate consistent ad creatives across platforms and languages automatically. It's also ideal for social media managers who want to produce and schedule branded visuals at scale for ongoing content.

Additionally, the design AI agent serves enterprises that need to manage large libraries of brand-compliant templates for teams across departments or regions. It’s also a valuable tool for internal communications teams that need to quickly create standardized visuals for newsletters, updates, or training materials.

Other Notable Features

• Automated creation of on-brand designs at scale
• Centralized system for managing and updating templates
• Design optimization powered by performance data
• Support for multiple languages to reach global audiences
• Seamless workflow integration through Beam AI

3. Plus AI: Best for AI-Powered Slide Decks

Some people excel at creating PowerPoint presentations, but for others, it can feel like a tedious task. If you're in the latter group, Plus AI can be a helpful assistant to speed things up. The platform uses an AI design agent to help with presentations, especially within Google Slides and PowerPoint. It creates slide decks faster, and from what I can tell, it also does it very well.

Plus AI offers a free trial, which is an immediate win in my book. It’s easy to explore its features and check the output quality before committing.

Start using Plus AI for free with a 7-day trial.

You can start a presentation in two ways: by writing a text prompt or uploading a file (Word, PDF, or PowerPoint). The AI agent offers a multilingual option if I need a presentation in another language.

Choosing to generate a deck using a text prompt brings up an intuitive interface where I can select the type and purpose of the presentation. The AI then creates an editable outline before building the full deck. I can also decide how many slides I want, which adds more control to the process.

Of course, the platform has a library of templates and designs, much like any presentation tool, but don’t expect much as they’re pretty basic.

Plus AI definitely automates much of the design and structure work. While the templates felt a bit generic, they’re customizable and look professional overall. I also didn’t have to spend a lot of time tweaking layouts or formatting — the AI handles most of that for me. One especially useful feature is its ability to turn text documents into presentations, which comes in handy if I already have my content written out.

While Plus AI has some advantages, it's not perfect. Some users, including myself, might find the customization a bit limited. You can edit the text and move things around, but the overall design templates don't always give you the same flexibility you'd get with other presentation tools.

Overall, however, I find it a good tool for speeding up the presentation creation process, particularly for anyone who regularly uses Google Slides or PowerPoint for work.

What Users Say

Plus AI is user-friendly, and users appreciate how it simplifies presentation creation, especially with its Google Slides integration and AI-powered editing. Many say it saves them significant time and is easy to learn.

However, some users warn that you need to cancel the free trial on time, as the company doesn’t offer refunds once you’re charged. A few also mention that the AI-selected images can be basic or occasionally irrelevant.

Who’s It For?

Plus AI design agent is designed for professionals who need to create presentations quickly and efficiently. Main users include sales and marketing teams for pitch decks, consultants for reports, educators for training, and schools for lecture slides.

Other Notable Features

• Convert text or uploaded documents into presentations
• Generate and edit content slide by slide for full control
• Built-in AI editing tools for fast content refinement
• Access to a library of presets and support for custom instructions
• Export presentations in multiple formats, including PPT and PDF

4. Gamma: Best for Instant Websites and Social Media Posts

A popular design tool, Gamma is well-known for generating presentations fast, but its AI design agent also creates instant websites and social media posts. I've tested it myself and found it just as easy to use as the website (and users) claim because I was able to generate a simple website and social cards in under five minutes.

Gamma offers a free plan, so after signing up, I was immediately invited to start creating my designs. I landed on the homepage and saw three options for generating AI content: from existing text, an imported file or URL, or a one-line prompt. I chose to start from scratch using a prompt.

Get started with Gamma - it has a no-commitment free plan.

Next, I was asked what type of file to create, and from there, I started by making a website using the prompt: “A website for a business offering meal subscription plans.”

The AI generated a full outline for me in plain text, including name suggestions, website sections with descriptions, and complete content. Sure, the AI-generated content wasn't perfect straight out of the box, and after making a few edits and customizations, I hit "Generate" again.

Next, I saw the full website layout displayed in a presentation-style format. Using the built-in tools, I could make additional changes, such as adding buttons, editing text, and improving visuals. I could also share this presentation with my teams for collaboration and further iterations.

Clicking the “Publish” button gave me a preview of the complete webpage, which you can see here. Yes, my design looks simple, but keep in mind that plenty of customization options are available.

The steps for creating social media posts are pretty much the same. The AI design agent is great for preparing a series of cards or posts. Once you complete your changes and customizations, you can export the content as a PDF, PowerPoint, Google Slides, or PNG file. You also have the option to post directly to LinkedIn, though other social platforms aren't supported yet.

All in all, I think Gamma is impressive for whipping up quick websites and social media creatives. The user-friendly setup allowed me to jump right in without feeling lost. I like how fast it was to get something decent-looking. Seriously, if you can type a document, you can get a website going with this AI design tool.

While the templates felt limited, they were smart, customizable, and good enough for initial design concepts.

What Users Say

Users generally find Gamma AI easy to use and capable of creating visually appealing presentations quickly. However, some note that the AI-generated content often needs editing.

A major concern users raised was the potential for plagiarism and academic integrity issues. This was especially concerning because the AI's training sources are not acknowledged, raising the possibility of using copyrighted material.

Who’s It For?

Gamma is ideal for professionals across various sectors. Good examples are marketers who run omnichannel campaigns, web designers who create simple, static websites and landing pages, and HR professionals who produce standardized internal documents or presentations. The tool's AI design agent helps these users streamline their workflows and maintain brand consistency.

Other Notable Features

• Multi-format publishing (slides, docs, web)
• Importing brand assets and applying custom themes
• Generating content automatically with AI assistance
• Smart layouts and professionally designed templates
• Performance tracking with built-in engagement metrics
• Publishing websites instantly — no coding required

5. Flow State by Leonardo AI: Best for Rapid Image Idea Generation

Leonardo AI has added a new AI design agent to its already powerful image-generation tools. Flow State offers an innovative way to visualize and explore a wide range of ideas quickly, perfect for fast, creative brainstorming.

The main reason I recommend Flow State is that it streamlines the early creative process. Instead of getting bogged down in complex prompt engineering, I can focus directly on the core concept I want to explore.

Here's how it generally works, based on my experience:

Step 1: I started by providing a basic text prompt. It doesn't need to be super detailed at this stage, so I entered "a hot air balloon above a forest clearing."

Step 2: Flow State took my simple prompt and generated a series of images, each with its distinct style. I then scrolled through these options, and this is key — you're not just getting variations of the same image, but rather different interpretations of your idea. I could also save several images to my library if I see potential in them for later refinement.

Step 3: Once I explored the initial set of images, I selected the perfect one. From there, I had the option to save, download, or upscale it. It's worth noting that upscaling might be a feature limited to paid accounts.

Try Leonardo AI Flow State for free — your tokens reset daily!

What was really useful for me was how Flow State encourages the user to explore different visual directions early on. The ability to quickly see a range of styles helps to break through creative blocks and allows me to discover possibilities I might not have considered otherwise.

Flow State also has tools to help guide the AI towards your preferred aesthetic. The menu offers pre-set image styles, and I can also pre-select image dimensions before generating from a prompt.

This level of control, combined with the rapid ideation of Flow State, makes it a powerful tool for anyone involved in visual creation.

What Users Say

Flow State is a new AI design agent, but users already find it to be a helpful tool for quickly generating a variety of visual ideas from a single prompt. Some are excited at how it simplifies the creative process and allows for easy exploration of different artistic styles without needing complex prompting skills.

Who’s It For?

Graphic designers, marketers, and creative teams who need to generate high-quality visuals with flexible style control quickly will benefit from Leonardo AI’s Flow State. It’s also great for print-on-demand businesses and 3D/game designers, helping them speed up workflows by creating, customizing, and upscaling assets in minutes.

Other Notable Features

• Flow State instantly creates a stream of image variations from one prompt
• AI Canvas and Realtime Canvas for interactive design and editing
• Universal Upscaler enhances image resolution across styles
• 3D Texture Generator for game, product, or digital asset design
• Brand Control with customizable Elements for consistency
• Flexible export options and easy integration with other tools
• API access for advanced customization and automation

AI Design Agents FAQs

1. What does an AI agent do?

An AI agent is a program that can perform tasks independently based on its goals. It looks at data, makes decisions, and takes action without needing someone to guide it every step of the way. For example, an AI agent can turn ideas or text into layouts, suggest styles, or organize content in design. It helps speed up work and makes it easier to try different options quickly.

2. What are AI Design Agents?

AI design agents are tools that help people create designs faster and easier. They can turn text or ideas into visual content like slides, websites, or graphics. These agents are programmed to understand design rules to suggest good layouts, styles, and colors. They also don’t replace designers but help with repetitive tasks or give a starting point, saving time and allowing them to focus more on big-picture thinking.

3. What is the difference between an AI agent and an application?

An AI agent is a part of a system that can make decisions and take actions on its own, based on a goal. It works by learning from data and reacting to different situations. On the other hand, an application is a complete program that people use to do tasks, like a design app or photo editor. An AI agent can be built into an application to help it work smarter or do things automatically.

4. Will AI agents replace apps?

AI agents probably won’t replace apps completely, but they will change how we use them. Instead of clicking through menus or doing things step by step, you might just tell an AI agent what you want, and it will do it for you inside the app. Apps will still be needed, but AI agents will make them easier and faster to use. They’ll act more like smart helpers inside the tools you already use.