Cursor Unveils an AI Development Tool for Designers

Cursor, the extremely popular AI coding startup, is introducing a new feature that enables users to shape the appearance and functionality of web applications using AI. The tool, Visual Editor, serves as a vibe-coding solution for designers, offering them fine-tuned controls akin to those found in professional design software. Additionally, beyond making manual adjustments, the tool allows them to request edits from Cursor’s AI agent through natural language.

While Cursor is primarily recognized for its AI coding platform, with Visual Editor, the startup aims to encompass other aspects of software development. “The core focus remains our professional developers, but in reality, they collaborate with many individuals, and anyone involved in software creation should benefit from Cursor,” states Ryo Lu, Cursor’s head of design, in an interview with WIRED.

Cursor is among the fastest-growing AI startups to date. Since its launch in 2023, the organization claims to have exceeded $1 billion in annual recurring revenue, serving tens of thousands of companies, including Nvidia, Salesforce, and PwC. In November, the startup completed a $2.3 billion funding round, elevating its valuation to nearly $30 billion.

Once a pioneer in the AI coding sector, Cursor now faces intensifying competition from larger entities such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. Historically, the startup has licensed AI models from these firms, but now competitors are heavily investing in their own AI coding solutions. For instance, Anthropic’s Claude Code achieved $1 billion in annual recurring revenue just six months post-launch, outpacing Cursor. In response, Cursor has begun developing and implementing its own AI models.

Traditionally, the software application development process involved multiple teams collaborating across various products and tools. By integrating design functionalities directly into its coding ecosystem, Cursor seeks to demonstrate that these functions can converge into a unified platform.

“Previously, designers operated in their own realm of pixels and frames that didn’t easily translate to code. As a result, teams needed to establish processes for handing off tasks between developers and designers, leading to significant friction,” explains Lu. “We have effectively merged the design and coding realms into a single interface featuring one AI agent.”

AI-Powered Web Design

In a demonstration at WIRED’s San Francisco office, Jason Ginsberg, Cursor’s product engineering lead, illustrated how Visual Editor could transform the aesthetics of a webpage.

A traditional design panel on the right allows users to modify fonts, add buttons, create menus, or change backgrounds. On the left, a chat interface processes natural language requests, such as “change this button’s background color to red.” Cursor’s agent subsequently implements those changes directly into the codebase.

Earlier this year, Cursor launched its own web browser that operates directly within its coding environment. The company asserts that this browser enhances the feedback loop during product development, enabling engineers and designers to view requests from actual users and access developer tools akin to those in Chrome.