Agents on the Canvas in tldraw — Steve Ruiz, tldraw
May 1, 2026 · 19:54
Steve Ruiz of tldraw details the evolution of AI on the infinite canvas, from early one-shot demos like MakeReal (draw to functional prototype) to multi-agent 'fairies' that collaborate, delegate, and even rewrite the canvas in real time. He explains how the tldraw SDK enables agents to act as virtual collaborators, using structured outputs and tool use to draw, animate, and modify designs. Ruiz demonstrates fairy agents that can work independently or in leader-follower mode, coordinating on tasks like creating wireframes or filling out forms. He also unveils a desktop prototype that lets Claude directly inject JavaScript into the canvas, enabling agents to edit code, modify UI, and even hack other apps like Spotify. The talk emphasizes the shift from sidebar agents to canvas-native collaborators, the challenges of vision model training for 2D spaces, and the safety trade-offs of giving LLMs runtime access in local-first apps.
