TikTok introduces AI tools for advertisers, including AI avatars for videos

At this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, TikTok is making a bold statement about the future of storytelling by presenting a suite of generative AI tools designed to redefine how content is created, shared, and scaled on the platform. As part of its broader vision for creative empowerment, the company is inviting brands, agencies, and creators to co-create a new era of digital storytelling—one that merges cutting-edge technology with human imagination.

Central to this initiative is the next evolution of TikTok Symphony, a suite of tools developed to simplify the creative process while amplifying its impact. TikTok unveiled three new capabilities—Image to Video, Text to Video, and Showcase Products—each designed to help marketers more easily develop high-performing, TikTok-first content that resonates with users and drives business growth.

The Image to Video tool breathes life into static visuals. Marketers can now transform simple product images or brand assets into dynamic five-second video clips using just a short prompt. This innovation allows for rapid generation of branded content that is tailor-made for the TikTok environment, where visual dynamism and short-form storytelling dominate. The tool offers a streamlined way for companies to repurpose existing creative materials into fresh, compelling content that captures attention in seconds.

Meanwhile, Symphony’s Text to Video feature gives marketers the ability to turn written ideas into animated concepts without requiring any original visuals. With just a simple prompt, this tool generates multiple video concepts, enabling creators to test, refine, and iterate on campaigns before moving into full production. It’s a time-saving solution for brainstorming and scaling content while maintaining the creative flexibility needed in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

Perhaps the most visually striking of the new tools is Showcase Products, which integrates digital avatars to highlight products in action. Whether modeling clothing, demonstrating an app, or simply holding a product, these avatars offer an engaging and immersive way to present items within a TikTok-first video format. With just an image upload and a few clicks, brands can create polished, five-second video segments that place their products front and center. All content generated with these tools is clearly marked as AI-generated and passes through multiple safety checks to ensure brand integrity and audience trust.

TikTok isn’t stopping at tools—it’s embedding this technology directly into the creative environments where professionals already work. By deepening its partnership with Adobe, TikTok is bringing Image to Video functionality into Adobe Express. This integration allows creators and marketers to produce TikTok-ready content directly within Adobe’s desktop platform, streamlining the creative workflow and making TikTok-native content generation more accessible than ever.

Additionally, the Symphony suite is being incorporated into WPP Open, the AI-powered platform from global advertising giant WPP. This move equips WPP’s creative teams with access to the full range of Symphony features, including AI Dubbing, Generate & Remix, and Digital Avatars. By embedding TikTok-first tools into their daily workflows, WPP aims to accelerate the development of innovative content strategies and deepen brand engagement across TikTok’s massive global audience.

Andy Yang, Global Head of Creative and Brand Products at TikTok, sees this moment as a turning point in digital creativity. “We’re entering a new era where technology accelerates imagination rather than replacing it,” he stated. “With TikTok Symphony, we’re setting a new standard for what’s possible—one that’s faster, more flexible, and more inspiring.”

Echoing this sentiment, Adobe’s Aubrey Cattell emphasized the significance of the partnership: “By introducing Symphony to Adobe Express, we’re unlocking new creative possibilities for users who want to make compelling TikTok-first content more efficiently.” Meanwhile, WPP’s Rob Reilly highlighted how Symphony empowers agencies to blend the best of human creativity and AI innovation to deliver impactful campaigns for major global brands.

These new tools—Image to Video, Text to Video, and Showcase Products—will be available in the coming weeks through TikTok Symphony Creative Studio, open to all global advertisers. As TikTok continues to invest in its AI capabilities, this marks just the beginning of what the company describes as a creative revolution. With continued collaboration across its brand partners, agency networks, and creator community, TikTok aims to transform the way stories are imagined and brought to life across its platform.