The AI arms race continues as social platforms have rapidly introduced generative AI-powered tools designed to help marketers create ad copy and images more efficiently.
Platforms like Reddit, TikTok, Meta, and Snap have all developed such tools, focusing on enabling marketers, especially smaller businesses, to harness generative AI for ad creation.
The goal, according to marketers, is to simplify ad development for small businesses, making it easier for them to create ads directly within these platforms and, in turn, spend more on advertising.
“We call them BFF features at our agency, meaning ‘beginner-friendly’ or ‘budget-friendly,’” said Brandon Biancalani, head of paid media at the social agency Modifly. “For beginners struggling to craft the right promotion, these tools can help generate ideas.”
In recent months, Snap announced its development of generative AI ad tools, including AI-powered augmented reality lenses and an AI tool for generating ad headlines.
TikTok, meanwhile, launched its creative AI suite called Symphony over the summer, and Pinterest introduced Pinterest Ad Labs, a program allowing select brands to test new creative and ad tools, including generative AI features. Meta expanded its generative AI tools in May, enabling advertisers to upload reference images for AI-generated ad variations.
To many marketers, the rush to offer AI-powered creative tools is a way for social platforms to keep pace with each other. Another factor is keeping AI capabilities in-house rather than relying on external partners like OpenAI or Microsoft, while also retaining ad dollars from small businesses.
Small to medium-sized businesses have long been a key demographic for these platforms, offering a way to reach their audiences without requiring significant budgets.
Social Media Platforms (Photo: iStock)
“I think it’s a selling point for small businesses to invest in these platforms,” said Ashvin Melwani, CMO and co-founder of supplement brand Obvi. “In the past, you needed a media buyer or an agency to create ads. That barrier is now gone.”
Melwani told Digiday that while Obvi has tested some AI-powered tools across social platforms, they have not yet implemented them in consumer-facing campaigns.
Although these offerings are a positive step, Melwani pointed out that the tools are not yet advanced enough to be the go-to for creating full consumer-facing campaigns.
For example, using generative AI to quickly generate image variations or ad copy makes sense, but brand-specific copywriting is still tricky.
One agency executive, speaking anonymously to Digiday, tested Snap’s generative headline tool by requesting a FOMO-inspired message using emojis to promote a free trial. The tool produced headlines like, “Try our free trial, hurry up,” which they felt sounded more aggressive than enticing.
The true test, according to agency executives, lies in how quickly these platforms’ tools can learn a brand’s ethos and craft campaigns that reflect the brand’s identity. Marketers are also questioning the source of the data these tools rely on to inform and personalize the outputs.
“Generating text is a much easier starting point,” said Kristin Wanek, VP of operations and client strategy at Stealth Venture Labs. “But it’s not solid enough yet to fully trust without a human eye reviewing it to ensure it aligns with the brand.”
Experts agree that AI is still in its infancy when it comes to advertising and marketing, but adoption could rise as social platforms gather more data to improve the tools.
“I don’t think we’re at the point where I can tell Meta, ‘Do everything for me,’ and confidently publish it,” Melwani added.
