TikTok announced on Monday that it will generate AI avatars of creators and actors for branded content and ads on the platform. The company is also launching an “AI dubbing” tool to help creators and brands expand the reach of their ads and branded content.
The new “Custom Avatars” are designed to represent creators and brand spokespeople. According to TikTok, creators can create multilingual avatars with their own likeness to expand their global reach and brand collaborations. Brands can create avatars for their spokespeople or partnered creators to localize their global campaigns.
There are also new “stock avatars,” which are pre-built avatars created using paid actors licensed for commercial use. The idea behind these avatars is to give businesses a way to add a human touch to their content. TikTok says the avatars are made with actors from different backgrounds, nationalities and languages.
Image credit: TikTok
The introduction of the new tools may be a concern for some. Last year, Hollywood actors staged a walkout over a variety of AI concerns, including fears that their likenesses would be used to generate AI replicas. TikTok's new AI avatars give creators control over the use of their likeness. They can also decide the fee, licensing, and who uses their avatar.
The new AI dubbing tool allows creators and brands to translate their content into 10 languages, including English, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. It automatically detects the language in your video, transcribes and translates the content, and creates a dubbed video in the desired language. TikTok says the new feature will enable creators and brands to communicate with audiences around the world.
The launch comes after TikTok recently revealed that 61% of users have made a purchase on TikTok, either directly or after seeing an advertisement.
The new features will be available as part of TikTok Symphony, a suite of generative AI-powered advertising solutions the company announced in May, which includes tools to help marketers write scripts, produce videos and enhance their current assets.
TikTok is building up its advertising business despite the risk of being banned in the United States if its parent company, ByteDance, fails to sell the app within a year.