How TikTok's AI is Redefining Marketing

TikTok on Tuesday introduced a new array of AI technologies to streamline brand ad development.

The social media giant unveiled the "TikTok Symphony" package, which offers scriptwriting, video creation, and video optimization, set to revolutionize online ads.

"Symphony Creative Studio," an AI video generator, helps advertisers generate TikTok-ready content with minimum input. The studio may also create pre-made films from TikTok Ads Manager assets or product information.

Another tool, "Symphony Assistant," helps create marketing campaigns using AI. It can create and improve scripts, offer engaging content, and advise on trend-based best practices. The assistant may help brands generate industry or product-specific ideas, according to TechCrunch.

The "Symphony Ads Manager Integration" automatically optimizes videos for platform performance. This allows brands to optimize prior materials.

TikTok is also releasing "TikTok One," a marketing portal, alongside the AI suite. "TikTok One" provides access to approximately two million artists, agency relationships, and creative tools.

The statement also emphasized TikTok advertising's rising relevance. According to the tech firm, 61% of TikTok users have purchased something directly or through an ad. TikTok assists 59% of users in finding new games, while 52% research about cars.

TikTok's US Future Still Unsure

However, TikTok's US future remains questionable as President Biden signed a measure mandating ByteDance, its Chinese parent firm, to sell the app or risk a ban. This possible obstacle clouds TikTok's advertising growth.

To quench national security concerns, TikTok must sell to a US company, but China forbids selling its algorithm system, critical to the platform's survival in the US and Europe.

Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and millionaire Frank McCourt are potential US bidders, but the algorithmic obstacle dampens their high interest, as reported by TechTimes. TikTok creates a customized video feed for each user using the now-off-limits algorithm, making it addictive.

After the 2020 US-China TikTok conflict, China restricted the export of "personal interactive data algorithms." Selling TikTok without its primary feature makes it a shell. Such a complex system would take time to rebuild. Notably, tech giants YouTube and Meta have struggled to copy TikTok's algorithm, showing its intricacy and years of research.

Mnuchin plans to "rebuild the technology," but recreating TikTok's unique sauce is difficult. McCourt's revised design raises fundamental issues about the deal's financial feasibility.

Investors face a risky bet. Buying TikTok without the algorithm means buying a brand name and a simple app, not the viral juggernaut that has captured millions. Hence, TikTok's value drops without the tailored feed that keeps users hooked.

TikTok's Change Makers Campaign to Boost Tainted Image

A forced sale may satisfy security worries, but it leaves TikTok's future unknown. Potential purchasers must decide whether to pay a lot for a weak app or leave, creating a gap that competitors may want to fill.

Amid these concerns, TikTok launched its "Change Makers" initiative, including 50 worldwide creators who promote good change.

Each participant chooses a non-profit organization from which TikTok donates $25,000 to support the selected creators. The corporation featured ten innovators in a blog post, including environmental campaigners and motivational speakers.

Among them is Joel Bervell, a member of the White House Committee on Medical Social Media Leaders, addressing racial inequities in healthcare.

While TikTok has not directly tied the program to its US operations, the initiative's large charity donations boost its reputation.