Canva, the popular online design tool, has made twin acquisitions to bolster its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The company has purchased Simtheory, an AI collaboration and agent management platform, and Ortto, a customer data and marketing automation firm. Founded by the Sharkey brothers, previously of Stayz, these acquisitions will help Canva grow beyond just design tools into a comprehensive solution for creative teams.

Simtheory’s platform is designed to empower businesses with intelligent assistants that can manage tasks across various tools, while Ortto combines customer data platforms with marketing automation. Together, they enhance Canva’s ecosystem, enabling seamless ideation to campaign measurement.

The move aligns with Canva’s broader strategy of integrating AI into its core offering and expanding its reach in the tech market. With these acquisitions, Canva aims to develop a fully integrated system that supports teams from early concept stages through final execution and analysis. This evolution positions Canva as a leader in both design and marketing technology.

Canva’s latest acquisitions follow a recent wave of strategic moves, including the acquisition of Doohly for digital advertising, Cavalry for animation, MangoAI for ad performance improvement, and MagicBrief for marketing intelligence. These efforts have contributed to Canva’s impressive growth of over 265 million users and $4 billion in annualized revenue.

For businesses looking to automate and optimize their operations across design and marketing, these acquisitions could provide significant benefits. However, they also raise questions about the future role of human creativity as AI continues to evolve.