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Digital Trends

No social media platform is immune to the AI craze, and TikTok is no exception to this rule. The company is introducing new AI-generated avatars for the use of content creators. These new tools build upon the Symphony generative AI ad suite TikTok announced last month.
Using Symphony Digital Avatars, TikTok creators and brands will be able to create customizable avatars that include Symphony AI language dubbing for global translation.

“At TikTok, we strive to empower creators and propel their creativity to a global audience with the power of generative AI,” said Andy Yang, head of creative product at TikTok. “Symphony Digital Avatars open up a new avenue for creators to expand their opportunities with brands globally. We aim to boost the creator economy by investing in creative solutions that bring joy, imagination, and action.”

@tiktoknewsroom

Introducing Symphony Digital Avatars, to assist creators and brands in captivating global audiences and delivering impactful messages in an immersive and authentic way. Check out our Newsroom for more details.

original sound – TikTok Newsroom

There will be two types of Digital Avatars available for creators. The first, Stock Avatars, are pre-built avatars made using paid actors licensed for commercial use. They come in a variety of backgrounds, nationalities, and over 30 languages. The other is custom avatars, where creators can use their own likeness to create a multilingual avatar with their own brand IP.

There is clearly an interesting accessibility aspect here, as international TikToks can reach a more global audience. English-speaking TikToks may be able to access the market in China and vice versa. In a way, this could be a significant boost to diversity on the platform.

TikTok Symphony
TikTok

On the other hand, it’s also easy to envision malicious actors using Digital Avatars for less desirable purposes. AI-generated revenge porn has already become a significant problem, so TikTok will need to have robust content moderation policies and oversight in place to help prevent this – which is an area where it doesn’t currently have the best track record.

Finally, there is the issue of how this is yet another layer between creators and their audiences. There is definitely a loss of personal connection between creators and their audience as AI takes over a lot of the “physical” work that used to drive content creation. Regardless, it seems unlikely that the AI trend will slow down anytime soon, and for better or worse, TikTok will soon be filled with AI-generated digital avatars. We’re also likely to see similar features roll out to TikTok alternatives like Snapchat, Instagram Reels, and others.