TikTok Ads Now Featuring AI Avatars of Creators and Stock Actors for Enhanced Engagement

On Monday, TikTok unveiled its innovative generative AI avatars designed for creators and stock actors to enhance branded content and advertising on its platform. Additionally, the company introduced an “AI Dubbing” tool that empowers creators and brands to broaden their advertisements' reach.

The newly launched “Custom Avatars” are intended to embody a creator or brand representative. Creators have the option to customize their likeness into multilingual avatars, facilitating increased global outreach and collaboration, according to TikTok. Brands can also develop avatars featuring their spokesperson or a collaborating creator to effectively localize their international marketing efforts.

TikTok has also rolled out “Stock Avatars,” which are pre-made avatars crafted from paid actors licensed for commercial use. These avatars aim to infuse a personal touch into businesses’ content. TikTok emphasizes that these avatars feature actors from diverse backgrounds, nationalities, and languages.

While the introduction of these tools may raise concerns for some, particularly in the wake of Hollywood actors' strike last year over AI-related issues—including worries about unauthorized likeness usage—TikTok's approach grants creators control over using their likeness. Creators can set their rates, licensing terms, and determine who can access their avatar.

The AI Dubbing tool allows creators and brands to automatically translate their content into ten languages, including English, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. This feature detects the video's original language, transcribes it, and creates a dubbed version in the chosen language, enabling creators and brands to effectively engage with global audiences.

This announcement follows TikTok's report that 61% of its users have made a purchase directly on the platform or after viewing an advertisement.

These latest features will be integrated into “TikTok Symphony,” a comprehensive suite of advertising solutions powered by generative AI, launched in May. This suite equips marketers with tools for scriptwriting, video production, and optimizing existing content.

Despite facing potential restrictions in the U.S. if its parent company ByteDance does not divest the app within a year, TikTok is actively expanding its advertising capabilities.