TikTok is pushing marketers to embrace artificial intelligence as a creative tool in 2025, according to the company’s newly released “What’s Next” report published Wednesday. The comprehensive 36-page document outlines key culture and technology trends expected to shape marketing strategies in the coming year, with AI adoption taking center stage.
The social media giant’s recommendation comes as it continues to expand Symphony, its generative AI creative suite announced last year. This powerful toolset enables marketers to generate ad scripts, create trend summaries, translate and dub videos into multiple languages, and even deploy AI-generated avatars built from the likenesses of influencers or paid actors. While the avatar feature remains in limited use, TikTok believes AI can give marketers a significant “creative edge.”
Cassie Taylor, TikTok’s global creative solutions and trends lead, acknowledged the initial uncertainty surrounding AI adoption in marketing. “Even a few years ago when we started to see different apps come out with AI, it was a little bit of, ‘Do we like this? Do we not like this? Should we be worried about it?’” Taylor explained. “It’s now been around just enough time from a trend perspective for people to really see its value.”
The report addresses concerns from influencers and marketers about AI potentially replacing jobs, but maintains that embracing the technology is essential for staying competitive. Bridget Jewell, executive creative director at Dentsu Creative, confirmed her agency uses TikTok’s Symphony suite to generate video ideas and identify trending sounds, calling it “the tool that allows us to think about things differently.”
Beyond AI, TikTok’s report recommends two additional strategies: working with niche influencers rather than mega-celebrities to build trust within specific communities, and rethinking traditional life stage marketing to better resonate with modern consumers who prioritize different milestones like mental health and travel over homeownership.
Notably, the report did not address TikTok’s potential ban in the United States, scheduled for January 19 under a divest-or-ban law. Taylor declined to comment on this issue, though the trends would still apply to TikTok’s operations in other global markets and could influence marketing strategies on competing platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Key Quotes
Even a few years ago when we started to see different apps come out with AI, it was a little bit of, ‘Do we like this? Do we not like this? Should we be worried about it?’ It’s now been around just enough time from a trend perspective for people to really see its value.
Cassie Taylor, TikTok’s global creative solutions and trends lead, explained how marketer sentiment toward AI has evolved from skepticism to acceptance as the technology has proven its practical value in creative workflows.
It’s the tool that allows us to think about things differently.
Bridget Jewell, executive creative director at Dentsu Creative and member of TikTok’s creative partner council, described how her agency uses TikTok’s Symphony AI suite to generate video ideas and identify trending sounds, emphasizing AI’s role in enhancing creative thinking.
As communities seek trusted voices, more people are becoming creators, from quiet reviewers to quirky characters. It’s not about the loudest voice, but increasing the number of creators, sometimes even by 50% — to drive impact at scale.
From TikTok’s 2025 “What’s Next” report, this quote outlines the company’s recommendation for brands to work with niche influencers rather than mega-celebrities, suggesting a strategy that combines with AI tools to reach targeted communities more effectively.
I’m not saying there isn’t a time and place for a mass message. What I’m saying is people will build a relationship with you on TikTok if you’re talking to them like the community.
Cassie Taylor emphasized the importance of authentic, community-focused marketing that speaks to specific audiences rather than broadcasting generic messages, a strategy that AI tools can help scale across multiple niche segments.
Our Take
TikTok’s aggressive promotion of AI tools reveals a strategic bet that generative AI will become the standard infrastructure for social media marketing, much like analytics and scheduling tools before it. The company is essentially normalizing AI adoption while competitors are still debating its role. However, the limited rollout of AI avatars suggests TikTok recognizes the delicate balance between efficiency and authenticity that concerns both creators and audiences. The real test will be whether AI-generated content maintains the authentic, community-driven feel that made TikTok successful in the first place. The convergence of AI tools with niche influencer strategies is particularly interesting—it suggests a future where brands use AI to scale personalized content across dozens of micro-communities simultaneously, fundamentally changing the economics of influencer marketing. This could democratize sophisticated marketing capabilities for smaller brands while raising questions about content saturation and authenticity.
Why This Matters
This report signals a pivotal shift in how major social media platforms are positioning AI tools within the marketing ecosystem. TikTok’s aggressive push for AI adoption reflects broader industry trends where generative AI is moving from experimental technology to essential marketing infrastructure. The emphasis on AI as a “creative edge” rather than a threat attempts to reframe the narrative around automation and job displacement concerns that have plagued the creative industry.
For businesses and marketers, this represents a critical inflection point: those who adopt AI-powered creative tools early may gain significant competitive advantages in content production speed, personalization, and multilingual reach. The Symphony suite’s capabilities—from script generation to avatar creation—demonstrate how AI is becoming deeply integrated into content creation workflows.
The timing is particularly significant as the marketing industry grapples with increased content demands, tighter budgets, and fragmented audiences. AI tools promise to address these challenges by enabling smaller teams to produce more content at scale. However, the limited rollout of avatar technology suggests the industry is still navigating ethical concerns and quality standards. This trend will likely accelerate adoption of similar AI tools across competing platforms, fundamentally reshaping digital marketing practices in 2025 and beyond.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-trends-for-marketers-niche-influencers-ai-report-2025-1