TikTok turns to generative AI to boost its ads business

TikTok is the latest tech company to incorporate generative AI into its ads business, as the company announced on Tuesday that it’s launching a new “TikTok Symphony” AI suite for brands. The tools will help marketers write scripts, produce videos, and enhance current assets.

The suite includes a new AI video generator called the “Symphony Creative Studio.” The tool can generate TikTok-ready videos with just a few inputs from an advertiser, the company claims. The studio also offers brands ready-to-use videos for ad campaigns based on their TikTok Ads Manager assets or product information.

The new “Symphony Assistant” is an AI assistant that is designed to help advertisers enhance their campaigns by helping them generate and refine scripts, and provide recommendations on best practices. 

For instance, brands can ask the assistant to write a few attention-grabbing lines for their new lipstick launch. They can also ask the assistant to show them what’s currently trending on TikTok or to generate some ideas for promoting a new product in a specific industry. 

TikTok’s new “Symphony Ads Manager Integration” can help brands automatically fix and optimize a brand’s current videos. The tool can be used to spruce up videos that a brand has already created to make it stand out more. 

In addition, TikTok is launching a centralized destination for marketers called “TikTok One” where they will be able to access nearly two million creators, discover agency partners, and leverage TikTok’s creative tools.

TikTok is also introducing new performance solutions with the help of predictive AI to help advertisers drive more sales. Advertisers will be able to input their budgets and goals to determine the best creative asset and the right audience for their campaign.  

As part of the announcement, the company revealed that 61% of users have made a purchase either directly on TikTok or after seeing an ad. TikTok also said that 59% of users use TikTok to decide what game to download next and that 52% of users even research cars because of TikTok content they have seen.

While TikTok is seeing success with its ads business and building it out as it chases more ad dollars, the company faces a potential hurdle in the year ahead. The fate of the app’s future in the U.S. is uncertain as President Joe Biden signed a bill last month that would ban TikTok if its parent company ByteDance does not sell the app. If the app does get banned in the U.S., other tech companies and startups may have the potential to gain ground in its gaping absence.