Google has launched Google Pics, an AI-first design tool aimed at competing directly with Canva and Adobe. Users don't manually set up layouts, fonts or graphic elements. Instead, they describe the result they want through text prompts. The AI generates the visual on its own. As a result, the paradigm of assisted design changes radically.
For the marketing teams of Italian SMEs and mid-market companies, the implications are concrete. Production speed for creative materials can increase significantly. However, prompt quality becomes the critical skill. People who can precisely describe the goal, tone and context get better output. By contrast, those who rely on generic instructions risk flat creatives that don't align with the brand. Choosing between Google Pics, Canva and Adobe will also depend on specific factors: team maturity, production volume and integration with the tools you already use.
In this article, we at SHM Studio look at the criteria for choosing among the three platforms, the best-suited use cases for each, and the operational implications for marketing managers who need to decide how to structure their creative workflow over the coming months.
The design software market is splitting into two speeds
For years, digital design followed a clear logic. On one side, professional tools like Adobe Creative Suite: powerful, but with a steep learning curve. On the other, democratized platforms like Canva: accessible, but with obvious creative limits. Now, the arrival of Google Pics introduces a third category: prompt-based generative design.
According to TechCrunch, Google Pics doesn't ask users to pick templates, position elements or manage layers. Users describe the visual they want. The AI produces it. As a result, the skill required is no longer technical, but communicative.
This shift is far from minor. It affects how marketing teams allocate time, budget and people to producing visual content. For Italian marketing managers, the practical question is: which tool should you choose, and for which scenario?
Three platforms, three philosophies of creative production
Before getting into the selection criteria, it helps to clarify the structural differences between the three main players. Each follows a different logic of creative work.
Adobe Creative Suite remains the standard for those with in-house design skills or who work with specialized agencies. It offers total control over the result. However, it requires training time, expensive licenses and structured workflows. It's the right tool for brands with a complex visual identity and high-impact materials.
Canva has won millions of users thanks to its simplicity. Ready-to-use templates speed up production. In addition, the Teams version makes it easier for people with different skill sets to collaborate. The limitation is standardization: Canva visuals tend to look alike because they start from the same building blocks.
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