TikTok brings AI 'creators' to ads

TikTok's unveiled a new method of reaching audiences in an 'authentic way'--AI avatars of real people.

The platform recently rolled out Symphony, its generative AI-powered ad suite. And now, you can create Digital Avatars through the app. The avatars are designed to help you create several ads at once. Not only that, but the app can help you generate multilingual content so your ads can reach a global audience.

There are two types of avatars to choose from:

First, there's Stock Avatars. These are pre-built AI avatars created using paid actors which are licensed for commercial use. TikTok boasts that ad creators can choose avatars from 'a diverse range of backgrounds, nationalities, and over 30 languages.'

The other option is a Custom Avatar. That's right, you can use your own likeness (or that of a brand spokesperson) to make a multilingual and multipurpose AI avatar.

There are some great opportunities for marketers here.

Being able to make bulk content and always have talent (albeit artificial) removes two barriers to making ads.

TikTok's own research suggests users trust brands more when a creator's face is attached. So if human-like avatars can recite scripts at speed, they might be on to something.

With that said, I watched a demo video of an avatar to see just how human-like it was. And while it was mostly convincing, the AI voice is just as un-human and monotone as all the other ones we've seen so far.

That said, TikTok will likely continue making improvements on their digital avatars. So it looks like it's only a matter of time before they're (almost) just as human as we are!

-Devin, Copywriter