AI tools for graphic design and logo creation: a 2026 comparison and what to know before using them

More than 250 million people use Canva every month in 190 countries, and its artificial intelligence products have been used more than 27 billion times, according to Canva. Among European companies, 9.55% already use AI to generate images, video or audio, according to Eurostat. AI tools for graphic design have gone from a curiosity to an everyday work tool.

In this comparison we review the main options for creating graphics and logos, and what you need to know about copyright, usage licenses and trademark registration in Chile. We have no commercial relationship with any of the companies mentioned.

250M+

People using Canva each month

in 190 countries

27B+

Uses of Canva's AI products

usage tripled in a year

90M

Monthly users of Adobe's free creative apps

up from 50M a year earlier

9.55%

European companies generating images with AI

2025

Source: Canva, 2026; Adobe, June 2026; Eurostat, 2025

View the data as a table

People using Canva each month	250M+ | in 190 countries
Uses of Canva's AI products	27B+ | usage tripled in a year
Monthly users of Adobe's free creative apps	90M | up from 50M a year earlier
European companies generating images with AI	9.55% | 2025

What AI tools for graphic design can do

These tools create images, illustrations, vectors and text from a written prompt, and they also edit existing designs: they remove backgrounds, change colors, adapt a piece to different formats or suggest fonts. For a small business, they make it possible to produce content for social media, presentations or an online store without hiring a designer for every piece.

Large companies use them far more than small ones:

Large (250 or more)27.92%

Medium (50 to 249)14.45%

Small (10 to 49)8.1%

Total9.55%

Source: Eurostat, isoc_eb_ai

View the data as a table

Large (250 or more)	27.92%
Medium (50 to 249)	14.45%
Small (10 to 49)	8.1%
Total	9.55%

The main AI tools for graphic design and logo creation

Canva: design for everyone with built-in AI

It's the most widely used design platform: more than 250 million people a month, according to Canva, which says it is the third most used AI product in the world. It has a free logo maker and AI tools to generate images, edit photos and adapt designs to different formats.

Best for: small businesses and entrepreneurs who need lots of pieces for social media and marketing.

Adobe Firefly: commercially safe AI

According to Adobe, Firefly models are "commercially safe" because they are "trained on licensed content from Adobe Stock and public domain content where copyright has expired." It creates high-resolution images, vector graphics, video and sound, and has a free plan with limited daily generations. Adobe's free creative apps reached 90 million monthly users, up from 50 million a year earlier, according to its June 2026 earnings call.

Best for: designers and agencies that need commercial use with less legal risk.

ChatGPT Images: design from the conversation

According to OpenAI's help pages, ChatGPT Images is available on all tiers, can add text to images, make the background transparent and offers templates for creating posters or logos.

Best for: people who already use ChatGPT and want quick sketches of ideas.

Microsoft Designer: free, but for personal use only

According to Microsoft's FAQ, Designer is free, but it is licensed for personal, non-commercial use with a Microsoft account. It's useful for testing ideas, but not for creating a company's final logo.

Best for: personal projects and proofs of concept.

Comparing AI tools for graphic design

Tool	Company	Stands out for	Free option	Commercial use
Canva	Canva	Templates, social media and a logo maker	Yes	Check the license of each element
Adobe Firefly	Adobe	Images and vectors trained on licensed content	Yes, with limited daily generations	Adobe says it is commercially safe
ChatGPT Images	OpenAI	Sketches, text in images and transparent backgrounds	Yes, on all tiers	Check OpenAI's terms
Microsoft Designer	Microsoft	Quick designs and brand kits	Yes	No: personal, non-commercial license

Terms change often: check each tool's current terms before using a design in your business.

Logo creation with AI: what you need to know

A logo made only with AI may not be protected by copyright

The US Copyright Office concluded in January 2025 that generative AI outputs "can be protected by copyright only where a human author has determined sufficient expressive elements," "but not the mere provision of prompts," according to its report on copyright and AI. It's a relevant international reference: a logo created from a prompt alone may end up unprotected. The practical advice is to use AI to explore ideas and then modify and finish the design by hand.

In Chile, a logo is protected as a registered trademark

To protect a logo as a trademark in Chile, you register it with INAPI, the national industrial property institute. According to INAPI:

• The application is filed online, with the brand's logo attached.
• It costs 3 UTM per class: 1 UTM when you file and 2 UTM if it's accepted.
• The registration lasts 10 years from the date it's granted.

Before choosing an AI-made logo, check that it doesn't resemble a trademark that's already registered.

Check each tool's usage license

Not all of them allow commercial use. Microsoft Designer, for example, has a personal, non-commercial license. Adobe, by contrast, says Firefly is commercially safe.

How to create a logo with AI, step by step

Step 1: define your brand before opening the tool

Write one sentence about what your business does, who it sells to and the feeling you want to convey. That text will be your prompt.

Step 2: generate several options

Use one or two AI tools for graphic design to explore styles, colors and fonts. Ask for variations and don't settle for the first one.

Step 3: refine the design by hand

Simplify the shape, adjust colors and fonts, and test the logo at a small size and in black and white. This human work also helps protect the design.

Step 4: check that it doesn't resemble another brand

Search for similar trademarks in INAPI's database before using it in your business.

Step 5: register your trademark

File the application online with INAPI using the final logo.