TikTok Debuts Gen AI Tool to Create Digital Avatars, Forms AI Advisory Board

TikTok has unveiled two new generative AI tools that will help creators and brands make influencer content at scale that include digital avatars and AI-enabled translation dubbing. The social platform also has  created an advisory board to help facilitate future gen AI development at the company and discuss responsible use.

The new tools join a suite of gen AI-enabled ad solutions, under the banner name Symphony, unveiled in May at the annual TikTok World event.

Creator Content at Scale with Digital Avatars and Auto-Dubbing

The new Symphony Digital Avatars are generative AI avatars of real people, aimed at helping brands and creators scale and globalize branded content with a personalized, human feel. Brands can choose from two kinds of avatars:

• Stock avatars that have been pre-built, using paid actors and licensed for commercial use. Avatars are available from a diverse range of backgrounds, nationalities and in over 30 languages; and
• Custom avatars crafted to represent a specific creator or brand spokesperson, equipped with multi-language abilities. Creators will be able to leverage their own likeness and construct multilingual avatars to expand their global reach and brand collaborations, while brands can build their own custom avatars with their brand IP, spokesperson or a partnered creator.

TikTok also unveiled Symphony AI Dubbing, which allows creators and marketers to translate their content into 10+ languages and dialects. The tool automatically detects the original language in a video, transcribes, translates and produces a dubbed video in the selected languages.

“We believe this technology has the potential to fuel the creator economy and offer new avenues for creators and marketers to scale their content globally,” said TikTok’s own digital avatar “Adrienne” in a video. “When it comes to innovating with AI, we are committed to putting creators at the center of our strategy and taking an authentic and responsible approach when it comes to building new, innovative tools.”

TikTok AI Advisory Board Includes Execs from Mondelez, American Eagle

As it rolls out its growing slate of gen AI tools, TikTok also has created the Symphony Collective, an industry advisory board to “help facilitate important discussions around the development and responsible use of AI in creative marketing,” explained the company in a statement.

Founding members of the Collective include executives from Mondelez, American Eagle, Wendy’s and the NBA, as well as representatives from agencies including OMD, Tinuiti, Day One, Tool, TBWA Chiat, VaynerMedia and a number of creators. The Collective will provide feedback about TikTok’s AI marketing solutions and provide an open forum to discuss the industry at large.

“Success for us on TikTok has always been about being truly in the platform versus just on it — that means leveraging all the tools available to connect with our brands’ communities and constantly testing new creative avenues,” said Jamie Falkowski, Chief Creative Officer at Day One Agency in a statement. “As a founding member of the Symphony Collective, I am looking forward to testing, learning and building alongside TikTok to help shape their newest creative AI tools.”

“Generative AI represents a transformational shift in how marketers operate, and I’m thrilled to join forces with TikTok to pioneer new and novel uses of GenAI for creative and media solutions on their platform,” said Avery Akkineni, Chief Marketing Officer of VaynerX and Managing Director of VaynerMedia LatAm in a statement.