AIBRIEF
Figma's remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) server accepts only approved AI tools; the Pi AI coding client is not on the list, and developers must apply through their Figma account team to get in.
Figma now runs a remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that accepts only approved AI clients, and a Figma employee has confirmed that Pi is not on that list. In a public reply, Figma's Gayani said the remote server restricts access to "supported-list clients" and that Pi has not yet been added (source).
MCP is the protocol that lets AI agents read and edit files inside other applications; on Figma, an approved client can generate and modify design assets, work with components and variables, and translate HTML into editable layers via the generate_figma_design tool (Figma blog).
Developers who want their tool on the list must apply through their Figma account team, per the company's MCP catalog. The catalog distinguishes clients by transport and permission: GitHub Copilot CLI gets both remote and local access with read/write, while Zed and OpenHands are listed as local-only and read-only. Write access to the canvas is available to Full and Dev seats on paid plans; Dev seats stay read-only outside drafts (Figma help).
How broad the pattern is, what exclusion costs clients like Pi, and which other AI tools sit on the same outside all remain open. A Hacker News thread is already tracking the discussion.