TikTok is Developing AI Avatars of Actual Users

The application is producing AI avatars of creators for its branded content.

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TikTok has launched AI avatars of producers to facilitate the production of sponsored content in several languages. Marketed as a means for producers to enhance their international presence, the avatars are accompanied by a “AI Dubbing” feature that translates the advertisements into several languages.

Through "Custom Avatars," creators can generate an AI representation of themselves for the purpose of producing branded content. By reproducing their appearance, producers can disseminate multilingual advertisements, so creating the illusion that they are conversing in a certain language alongside the AI dubbing.

The employment of actors and content creators for advertisements may become obsolete due to TikTok's "Stock Avatars." Custom Avatars are created by the creators themselves, whilst Stock Avatars enable actors to lease their likeness for commercial purposes. Brands can utilize these avatars to continuously improve advertisements instead of compensating performers for new content each time.

Artificial intelligence has been a contentious issue across nearly all sectors, particularly in entertainment and music. SAG-AFTRA initiated a strike in the latter half of 2023, partly in response to apprehensions regarding the complete replacement of minor actor positions by artificial intelligence.

The new functionalities are introduced as part of TikTok's "Symphony," an expanding collection of generative AI tools. The application has established an advisory board composed of creators to guide AI development and strategy.