Recently, design giant Figma has quietly been making moves into the AI field, planning to launch a revolutionary AI application builder and simultaneously develop a website creation tool called Figma Sites. This news was first revealed by renowned security researcher Jane Manchun Wong, sparking widespread industry attention.
AI Application Builder: Intelligent Fusion of Design and Development
Reportedly, this tool accepts various input formats, including text prompts, Figma design files, and images, demonstrating high flexibility. Even more impressive is that the builder is powered by Anthropic's Claude Sonnet large language model (LLM) and integrated using the Supabase platform. This AI tool aims to seamlessly connect the design and development processes, allowing users to quickly generate application prototypes or even complete applications through natural language descriptions or existing design resources.
Industry insiders point out that this functionality could significantly lower the barrier to entry, enabling designers without technical backgrounds to easily build functional applications. This tool could pose a threat to existing platforms like Framer, Webflow, and Wix, and might even "disrupt the AI plugin market."
Figma Sites: A New Approach to Website Creation
Meanwhile, Figma also seems to be developing a website creation tool called Figma Sites. While specific details haven't been fully disclosed, this tool is considered an extension of Figma's existing design ecosystem, aiming to help users generate functional websites directly from design mockups. This aligns perfectly with Figma's consistent emphasis on a "design-to-product" philosophy and could further solidify its leading position in design and collaboration.
Industry Impact and Future Outlook
Figma's series of actions are seen as its strategic positioning in the AI wave. By leveraging Anthropic's Claude Sonnet model, Figma not only enhances the intelligence of its tools but also potentially redefines the collaborative model between design and development. Claude Sonnet, a model known for its reasoning capabilities and code generation, has recently shown outstanding performance in programming and design tasks, especially in handling complex codebases and full-stack development. However, Figma's new tools also face market competition. Platforms like Webflow and Wix have been deeply entrenched in the website building field for years, while AI-powered development tools like Lovable are also rapidly emerging.
