Figma has been quietly integrating AI throughout the platform, making everyday tasks faster and smarter. From intelligent auto-layout suggestions to AI-powered content generation, these features work in the background to enhance your workflow. This guide covers all of Figma's native AI capabilities - both the obvious ones and the hidden gems that most designers miss.
1. Exploring Figma's AI-Powered Auto-Layout Features
Auto-layout has gotten significantly smarter with AI assistance:
Smart Frame Suggestions
When you select multiple elements, Figma suggests optimal auto-layout configurations. It analyzes spacing patterns and alignment to recommend settings that maintain your visual intent while making the layout responsive.
Automatic Spacing Detection
Figma detects consistent spacing in your designs and suggests applying it as auto-layout rules. If you've manually spaced items at 16px, Figma notices and offers to formalize it.
Responsive Behavior Prediction
When converting to auto-layout, Figma predicts how elements should behave when resized. Text that looks like it should wrap? Figma suggests fill container. Fixed-size icons? Hug contents is recommended.
One-Click Auto-Layout Conversion
Select any group and press Shift+A. Figma analyzes the structure and applies auto-layout with sensible defaults. What used to take multiple adjustments now works correctly on the first try.
2. Using Smart Selection and Bulk Editing Capabilities
AI helps you select and modify elements more efficiently:
Select All Matching Layers
Right-click any element and choose 'Select all with same...' Figma identifies all instances with matching properties (color, font, component). Make changes once, update everywhere.
Smart Selection
When you have multiple frames selected, Figma's smart selection understands the pattern. Adjust spacing on one element, and it applies consistently to all selected frames maintaining the relationship.
Bulk Property Editing
Select disparate elements and edit shared properties simultaneously. Figma shows only properties common to all selections. Change the corner radius on 50 different buttons at once.
Instance Swapping Intelligence
When swapping component instances, Figma suggests relevant replacements based on context. Swapping an icon? It shows icons. Swapping a button variant? It filters to button options.
3. Generating Text Content with AI Suggestions
Figma's AI helps with placeholder and real content generation:
Contextual Placeholder Text
Instead of Lorem Ipsum, Figma can generate contextual placeholder text. A form label gets realistic label text. A button gets action-oriented copy. Content matches context.
Text Length Variations
AI generates content at different lengths for testing. See how your card handles a two-word title versus a twenty-word title. Stress-test your layouts with realistic content variations.
Multi-Language Testing
Generate placeholder content in different languages to test internationalization. German text is typically 30% longer than English - AI helps you see if your layouts accommodate this.
Rename Layers Intelligently
Figma suggests meaningful layer names based on content and context. 'Frame 47' becomes 'Hero Section' or 'Navigation Bar'. Cleaner layer organization with less manual work.
4. Leveraging AI for Design System Maintenance
Keep your design system healthy with AI-powered tools:
Unused Component Detection
Figma identifies components that aren't used anywhere in your files. Clean up your design system by removing or archiving components that have become obsolete.
Inconsistency Alerts
AI spots when you're using styles inconsistently - a slightly different gray, spacing that's 15px instead of 16px. Get notifications to fix inconsistencies before they multiply.
Component Suggestions
When you create something that looks like an existing component, Figma suggests using the component instead. This prevents duplicate elements and keeps designs system-consistent.
Variant Organization
AI helps organize component variants logically. It suggests property names based on visual differences and can restructure variants for better discoverability.
Key Takeaways
- Figma's AI works quietly in the background to make common tasks faster
- Auto-layout suggestions analyze your design patterns for smarter defaults
- Smart selection and bulk editing save hours on repetitive changes
- AI-generated content helps test layouts with realistic text
- Design system maintenance is easier with inconsistency detection and suggestions