TikTok launches genAI-powered ad tools amid US legal woes

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TikTok has introduced generative AI tools to help brands and creators expand their reach globally by allowing users to make digital avatars and dub their videos in different languages..

These new features are part of TikTok Symphony, the short-video app’s suite of ad solutions. Currently, Symphony offers two types of digital avatars: pre-built stock models and custom avatars that can take on the likeness of their creators or brand representatives. TikTok said its models were developed with actors from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities.

With these avatars, brands can add a more personal touch to their content. According to TikTok’s internal data, 79% of its users prefer brands that understand how to create content specifically for the platform.

Meanwhile, Symphony’s AI dubbing feature detects original language in a video then transcribes what users say. It can generate a dubbed version of the video in over 10 languages and dialects.

This announcement comes as TikTok faces legal issues in the US. On September 16, a local appeals court will review a new law that requires ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell its US assets by January 19, 2025, or face a ban.

Signed by US President Joe Biden in April, the law aims to address national security concerns without completely prohibiting TikTok. ByteDance recently hired former Warner Bros. general counsel John Rogovin to help with its current legal challenge.

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