BioRender introduces Leo for planning editable scientific figures

BioRender’s Leo guides figure planning with sketches and editable drafts. Access requires a paid add on plan.

Labeled grayscale diagram of a light microscope on a white background — Archival scientific illustration by Mikael Häggström under CC0

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BioRender’s October update introduces Leo, an AI assistant that helps users plan scientific figures before building an editable draft.

Users describe a figure, answer planning questions and choose from four grayscale sketches. They can mark changes on the sketch, review a color draft and move the result onto the canvas for further editing.

The AI tools overview says Leo can start from a paper, presentation or image and waits for approval of the plan before building. Usage counts toward the account’s AI allowance.

Leo requires a paid add on plan. Organization members who cannot see it are directed to their administrator. The release notes do not give a price.

Scientists still need to check labels, relationships and scientific meaning before publishing a generated figure.

Archival scientific diagram by Mikael Häggström under CC0. This unchanged 2022 illustration is not a BioRender output.

Jordan Reid

Jordan Reid is focused on AI tools, agents, developer products, and the way technology changes everyday work. Jordan approaches a launch from the user’s side of the screen. What can it actually help someone finish? The voice is practical, conversational, and skeptical of products that turn a simple job into five new settings. Coverage follows coding assistants, creative software, browser agents, and the workflows around them, with attention to pricing, permissions, setup, and the human work that remains.