TikTok rolls out AI-powered tools to turn text into video ads
LONDON: TikTok is rolling out new advertising tools powered by artificial intelligence that give marketers the ability to turn text or still images into AI-generated video ads.
The ByteDance-owned platform announced the new features on Monday during the Cannes Lions advertising festival in France.
The features, part of TikTok's Symphony product suite, allow advertisers to upload an image or write a text prompt describing their desired ad. TikTok's AI then generates five-second video clips that can be used as advertisements.
The text and image-to-video features build on similar AI-powered services introduced by TikTok in 2024, which allow marketers to use AI-generated avatars — AI-enhanced digital spokespeople — to promote and sell products on the platform.
AI-generated ads are the latest frontier for social media platforms, which have been investing heavily in AI to automate processes such as content moderation, misinformation detection, and content creation for advertisers and creators seeking more cost-effective ways to produce material for social media.
With such tools, platforms hope to attract marketers to expand their advertising budgets.
Recently, Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta announced it was testing new tools that allow advertisers to create marketing content, including images and messaging, using generative AI prompts.
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