---
title: "Leonardo AI | Ethical Stack"
url: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/leonardo-ai/
catalog_version: f6baff2119d0e9158520da7fbe4232011dac79f25bd08757436d7a1dbd593db2
---

# Leonardo AI

A hosted generative-art suite for creating and editing images and video, with optional model training and public or private content settings.

Canonical profile: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/leonardo-ai/

Scope: Leonardo.Ai consumer web image generation and editing; paid private-content route distinguished from default public free outputs.

Published overall: 3.4; 5/6 dimensions rated.

Round the equal-weight mean of available numerical ratings to one decimal; require at least four of six for an overall score. BDS status stays outside the mean; for eligible profiles, a boycott target caps the final score at 2/10 and a pressure target subtracts one point (minimum 1). Not listed and not checked do not adjust the score.

## Energy practices

Finding: 2/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/leonardo-ai/#energy

Leonardo AI has identifiable product documentation, but no measured energy footprint or clean-electricity sourcing evidence for the assessed route.

Reason: 1 + 1 reporting + 0 electricity + 0 controls = 2/10. This grades documented practices and transparency.

Argument: The official sources describe how Leonardo AI is delivered and used. They provide no dated, quantitative energy or water report for this product and no evidence tying its requests to clean electricity. The pages reviewed also name no energy-saving workload or compute control.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Leonardo.Ai consumer web image generation and editing; paid private-content route distinguished from default public free outputs.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Per-request electricity and water use, regional power mix and independently verified clean-electricity sourcing for Leonardo AI remain unpublished.

```json
{
  "method": "practices-transparency-v1",
  "scope": "Leonardo.Ai consumer web image generation and editing; paid private-content route distinguished from default public free outputs.",
  "components": {
    "disclosure": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "The Leonardo AI documentation identifies the service route, but provides no dated, quantitative energy or water report for this product.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://leonardo.ai/",
        "https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy",
        "https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service"
      ]
    },
    "electricity": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No reviewed official source ties this workload to metered, regional or hourly clean electricity; this is an evidence gap.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://leonardo.ai/",
        "https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy",
        "https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service"
      ]
    },
    "demand": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The reviewed Leonardo AI documentation names no energy-saving compute or workload setting for this route; no physical savings are inferred from speed, pricing or general configuration choices.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://leonardo.ai/",
        "https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy",
        "https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service"
      ]
    }
  },
  "actualImpactMeasured": false
}
```

- [Leonardo.Ai product site](https://leonardo.ai/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai privacy policy](https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai terms of service](https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Training data

Finding: Depends on the model

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/leonardo-ai/#training-rights

Training-data rights vary with the model selected for Leonardo AI; check that model’s source and license.

Reason: Select the exact model and provider used by this feature to assess the training-data permissions for that release.

Argument: Leonardo AI can use different model routes. Its product policy describes how requests are handled, while training-data provenance and permissions depend on the selected model. Review that release’s source disclosure, license and creator controls separately.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Leonardo.Ai consumer web image generation and editing; paid private-content route distinguished from default public free outputs.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: The selected model name, version and provider can vary by feature or setting. Those details are needed for a model-specific training-data review.

```json
{
  "method": "training-rights-evidence-v1",
  "scope": "The stated training release or selected model",
  "components": null,
  "routeDependency": "Select the exact model and provider used by this feature to assess the training-data permissions for that release.",
  "modelReference": null
}
```

- [Leonardo.Ai product site](https://leonardo.ai/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai privacy policy](https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai terms of service](https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Your data & privacy

Finding: 5/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/leonardo-ai/#privacy

Leonardo collects prompts and uploads; free creations are public by default, while paid private mode excludes content from model training.

Reason: Leonardo’s January 2026 policy says user content may be used to improve services and train models, and free creations are public and searchable by default. A paid subscription can make content private and exclude it from model training. Account data and content may remain for a legitimate purpose or in backups after deletion.

Argument: Leonardo’s January 2026 policy says user content may be used to improve services and train models, and free creations are public and searchable by default. A paid subscription can make content private and exclude it from model training. Account data and content may remain for a legitimate purpose or in backups after deletion.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Leonardo.Ai consumer web image generation and editing; paid private-content route distinguished from default public free outputs.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Choose paid private mode for confidential work, and check current deletion timing, backup handling and whether all features share the same private-content setting.

- [Leonardo.Ai product site](https://leonardo.ai/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai privacy policy](https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai terms of service](https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Openness

Finding: 2/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/leonardo-ai/#openness

Leonardo is a hosted generation platform. Its user terms describe account use and output ownership, but the app implementation and model weights are not offered for self-hosting.

Reason: Leonardo is a hosted generation platform. Its user terms describe account use and output ownership, but the app implementation and model weights are not offered for self-hosting.

Argument: Leonardo is a hosted generation platform. Its user terms describe account use and output ownership, but the app implementation and model weights are not offered for self-hosting.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Leonardo.Ai consumer web image generation and editing; paid private-content route distinguished from default public free outputs.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: The cited product pages do not provide a complete source release, reproducible model pipeline and license package for the full assessed service. Individual model licenses and artifacts can differ.

- [Leonardo.Ai product site](https://leonardo.ai/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai privacy policy](https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai terms of service](https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Worker protections

Finding: 1/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/leonardo-ai/#labour

Public sources for Leonardo AI / Canva describe the product, but do not report pay, worker voice or independent safeguards for the people who build and support it.

Reason: 1 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 1/10. Documented worker protections; missing disclosure is an evidence gap.

Argument: The official pages reviewed for Leonardo AI do not report worker pay and conditions, representation or independent follow-through across employees, contractors and AI supply-chain workers. The low evidence score records what those sources leave unanswered; it is not a finding of mistreatment.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Leonardo.Ai consumer web image generation and editing; paid private-content route distinguished from default public free outputs.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Pay, contractor protections, grievance outcomes and independent checks for Leonardo AI / Canva's wider workforce remain unreported in the cited product documentation.

```json
{
  "method": "worker-safeguards-evidence-v1",
  "entity": "Leonardo AI / Canva",
  "company": "Leonardo AI / Canva",
  "scope": "Leonardo.Ai consumer web image generation and editing; paid private-content route distinguished from default public free outputs.",
  "components": {
    "conditions": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The reviewed product and legal pages give no qualifying pay or conditions disclosure for AI supply-chain workers.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://leonardo.ai/",
        "https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy",
        "https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service"
      ]
    },
    "voice": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No worker representation, grievance or remedy mechanism was established in these cited official materials.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://leonardo.ai/",
        "https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy",
        "https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service"
      ]
    },
    "assurance": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No independent worker-level assurance covering the product supply chain was established.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://leonardo.ai/",
        "https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy",
        "https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service"
      ]
    }
  },
  "disclosureLimited": true
}
```

- [Leonardo.Ai product site](https://leonardo.ai/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai privacy policy](https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai terms of service](https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Military ties

Finding: 7/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/leonardo-ai/#military-contracts

No military relationship for Leonardo AI / Canva was identified in the official sources reviewed for this profile.

Reason: 7 base + 0 safeguard adjustment = 7/10 (0 of 9 safeguard points; every 3 adds 1). No military relationship was established in the cited sources. This ranks above known defense ties without claiming a verified clean record.

Argument: The cited product and policy material does not describe a defense customer or military deployment by Leonardo AI / Canva. The score reflects an unverified relationship with no published safeguards in these sources, not a confirmed absence.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Leonardo AI / Canva corporate relationship; no specific deployment of Leonardo AI inferred

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: This source review does not cover undisclosed customers, contracts, subcontractors or deployments.

```json
{
  "method": "military-ties-priority-v2",
  "entity": "Leonardo AI / Canva",
  "company": "Leonardo AI / Canva",
  "scope": "Leonardo AI / Canva corporate relationship; no specific deployment of Leonardo AI inferred",
  "components": {
    "restrictions": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No binding military-specific restriction was found in the cited public pages.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://leonardo.ai/",
        "https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy",
        "https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service"
      ]
    },
    "oversight": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No military-specific oversight or remedy was established in the cited public pages.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://leonardo.ai/",
        "https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy",
        "https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service"
      ]
    },
    "transparency": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The cited material does not disclose a relevant military relationship.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://leonardo.ai/",
        "https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy",
        "https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service"
      ]
    }
  },
  "disclosureLimited": true,
  "relationship": "not-established",
  "relationshipReason": "The official pages reviewed describe the product, service and user terms; they do not identify a defense relationship or deployment. No identity, nationality or unrelated-company inference is used.",
  "score": 7,
  "baseScore": 7,
  "safeguardPoints": 0,
  "safeguardAdjustment": 0,
  "rawScore": 7,
  "cap": null
}
```

- [Leonardo.Ai product site](https://leonardo.ai/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai privacy policy](https://leonardo.ai/privacy-policy) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Leonardo.Ai terms of service](https://leonardo.ai/terms-of-service) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## BDS targets

Finding: Not listed

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/products/leonardo-ai/#israel-palestine

Leonardo AI / Canva is not named in the two official BNC campaign lists checked on 2026-10-28; this is not an endorsement.

Reason: Campaign category, excluded from numerical scoring.

Argument: The check is limited to the BNC consumer-boycott guide and No Tech campaign. Neither list names Leonardo AI / Canva; the result says nothing about other campaigns or suppliers.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Leonardo.Ai consumer web image generation and editing; paid private-content route distinguished from default public free outputs.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: This check does not cover every BDS campaign, local campaign, supplier, investment or subsequent list change; it is not an endorsement or clean-record conclusion.

- [BNC live Guide to BDS boycott targets](https://bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott) (campaign; checked 2026-10-28)

- [BNC No Tech campaign](https://bdsmovement.net/no-tech-oppression-apartheid-or-genocide) (campaign; checked 2026-10-28)

## Reading the evidence

- Assessments are provisional editorial judgments. Cite the profile and the underlying sources, and retain confidence, scope and unknowns.

- Unknown, not-applicable and model-dependent are different states. Missing evidence does not establish good or bad conduct.

- Company-level evidence does not establish use of a particular product or model. Account plan, model, host and route can change an assessment.

- Energy scores describe documented practices and transparency, not measured request emissions. Zero component points can mean an evidence gap.

- Published overall scores require at least four of six numerical dimensions. Preserve coverage and BDS adjustments; BDS itself is categorical.

- No named BDS target found is limited to the reviewed campaign sources and is not approval. Personalized priorities do not change the published overall score.

- Review and source-check dates describe the research, not this deployment. Fetch current primary sources when the decision requires current verification.

Methodology: https://ethicalstack.ai/methodology/