Newsletter

Canva's Big AI Shopping Spree

Carson West

— 4 min read

PLUS: How to create the perfect playlist with AI prompts

✉️ Editor's Note

Ever feel like you need a whole marketing team just to create a simple social media post? Today's stories show how AI is making professional-grade content creation accessible to everyone. From Canva's ambitious expansion to Spotify's smart playlists, the tools are getting smarter—and you don't need to be a tech wizard to use them.

— Sarah Chen, Editor

🗞️ TODAY IN AI

1. Canva acquires startups working on animation and marketing: Canva just went on a shopping spree, acquiring multiple startups focused on animation and marketing analytics. This means the platform you already use for simple designs is about to get much more powerful, potentially adding video creation and detailed measurement tools. Read more Why it matters: If you create content for work or social media, you'll soon have professional animation and analytics tools built right into Canva—no need to learn complex software or hire expensive specialists.

2. Particle's AI news app listens to podcasts for interesting clips so you don't have to: The Particle AI news app now extracts key moments from podcasts, letting you play short, relevant audio clips alongside related news stories instead of listening to entire episodes. Read more Why it matters: If you're too busy to listen to hour-long podcasts but want to stay informed, this AI does the heavy lifting—finding the most important parts so you can get the gist in minutes, not hours.

3. Spotify rolls out AI-powered Prompted Playlists to the UK and other markets: Spotify is expanding its AI-powered "Prompted Playlist" feature to Premium subscribers in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and Sweden, allowing users to create personalized playlists using natural language prompts. Read more Why it matters: Forget scrolling through endless playlists—just tell Spotify what mood you're in or what activity you're doing, and AI will build the perfect soundtrack for you, saving you time and delivering better music discovery.

🔬 DEEP DIVE

By Marcus Rivera

Canva's Quiet Revolution: From Design Tool to Marketing Suite

Canva just made its biggest power move yet. By acquiring animation and marketing analytics startups, the platform that democratized design is now aiming to do the same for video creation and campaign measurement. This isn't just about adding new features—it's about creating an all-in-one solution for anyone who needs to create professional content without a professional budget.

Why it matters for you. If you've ever struggled to create engaging video content or wondered if your social media posts are actually working, Canva's new direction could be a game-changer. Small business owners, freelancers, and even hobbyists will soon have access to tools that previously required expensive software subscriptions or specialized skills. Imagine creating animated explainer videos with the same ease as making a flyer, or getting detailed analytics on which designs perform best—all within one familiar platform.

The takeaway. Keep an eye on Canva's updates over the next few months. If you're already using Canva for design work, these new capabilities will make your workflow even more efficient. If you're not using Canva yet, this expansion makes it an even more compelling option for anyone who creates content. The barrier to professional-quality marketing materials is about to get much lower.

🎓 AI ACADEMY

By Alex Torres

How to create the perfect playlist with Spotify's AI prompts

👤 Best for: Busy professionals, workout enthusiasts, party planners, and anyone who spends too much time searching for music

Stop wasting time scrolling through endless playlists—Spotify's AI-powered Prompted Playlists let you create exactly what you need with simple text commands.

  1. Open Spotify and navigate to the "Your Library" section on mobile or desktop
  2. Look for the "Create Playlist" button and select "Prompted Playlist" (available to Premium subscribers in supported regions)
  3. Type a natural language description of what you want—be specific about mood, activity, era, or even fictional scenarios
  4. Let AI work its magic and review the generated playlist, which you can save, edit, or regenerate with different prompts

Sample Prompt (copy and paste this):

Create a 90-minute playlist for a high-intensity interval training workout. Include high-energy electronic dance music from 2015-2020 with driving basslines and build-ups. Mix in some motivational rock anthems from the 2000s. The tempo should gradually increase throughout the workout, starting at 130 BPM and peaking around 160 BPM. Include at least 3 songs by The Prodigy.

💡 Pro tip: The more specific you are, the better the results. Include details like duration, tempo, specific artists or eras, and the intended activity or mood. You can even ask for playlists based on fictional scenarios like "songs for a cyberpunk heist movie" or "music for studying in a rainy coffee shop."

⚡ QUICK HITS

  • 🔧 Canva's Animation Tools: Early previews suggest Canva will add timeline-based animation tools similar to After Effects but with their signature simplicity. Learn more
  • 🎯 Particle's Podcast Intelligence: The app uses AI to identify key moments, quotes, and topics in podcasts, creating a "CliffsNotes" version of audio content. Try it
  • 🚀 Spotify's Global Expansion: After successful tests in select markets, Spotify is rolling out AI playlist creation to more countries, with plans for worldwide availability. Check availability

💬 PROMPT OF THE DAY

Social Media Content Calendar Generator

Act as a social media content strategist. I need a 7-day content calendar for [Your Industry/Business Type] targeting [Your Audience Demographic]. 

Please provide:
1. Daily post themes (Monday-Friday)
2. Suggested content types for each day (carousel, video, story, etc.)
3. 3-5 hashtag suggestions per post
4. Optimal posting times based on current engagement data
5. One engagement question for each post to boost comments

Focus on educational content (40%), brand storytelling (30%), and community engagement (30%). Include at least one user-generated content prompt and one behind-the-scenes post.

See you tomorrow,
The Have AI Do It Team
Sarah, Marcus, Alex & the crew

We translate 'Tech Velocity' into 'Everyday Utility.'

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