The realm of social media is awash with individuals peddling a variety of products, from Shein try-on videos to health supplements and gadget promotions. This rise in influencer marketing has transformed traditional advertising, leading to a proliferation of content creators who effectively serve as sales agents from their own homes. Tech companies are keen to integrate even more automation into this dynamic landscape.
TikTok has unveiled enhancements to Symphony, its AI advertising platform, originally launched in 2024. These new features advance past basic video and image generation, enabling the creation of content that closely resembles traditional influencer material. Advertisers will soon be able to upload images, input text prompts, and produce videos showcasing virtual avatars interacting with products, modeling clothing, and demonstrating apps. Existing functionalities that TikTok users have enjoyed, such as creating videos from photos, will now be extended to advertisers.
The gradual integration of AI into the influencer sector has been ongoing, with advertisers already employing synthetic characters that can promote products by reading scripts. The latest enhancements bring a new level of interactivity, enabling virtual avatars to emulate human influencers by using and showcasing products. Brands are drawn to this trend for its dual benefits of process automation and cost savings — AI avatars do not require the negotiation of fees or contracts, allowing for the mass production of content without the need for individual video shoots. Furthermore, AI tools are being utilized to target specific demographics, brainstorm content ideas, and translate audio into various languages. However, some advertisers remain cautious about adopting AI-generated content.
For human influencers, the rise of AI presents a dual challenge: the potential replacement of their work with synthetic content and the possibility of decreasing compensation rates due to the influx of AI-generated videos. Although current AI usage among content creators largely remains in the background — for tasks like editing or seeking brand partnerships — TikTok’s push for AI-generated influencer profiles raises questions. If a virtual entity endorses a product, is it truly a recommendation? The growing trend suggests brands may opt for AI-generated content over real human influencers, posing implications for those reliant on social media for their livelihoods.
TikTok has stated that any content produced using its advertising tool will be clearly marked as AI-generated and will undergo “multiple rounds of safety review” before being made public.
