TikTok rolls out new AI tools to woo marketers even as a US ban looms
As TikTok faces another possible US ban, it’s launching ad tech to keep marketers hooked
TikTok isn’t waiting for lawmakers to decide its fate in the United States.
Just 16 days before a potential nationwide ban, the company unveiled a slew of AI-powered performance ad tools at its World Summit, aimed squarely at keeping marketers invested.
This article explores TikTok’s latest ad product launches, how they respond to shifting user behavior, and what they signal for marketers navigating the platform’s uncertain future.
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Patrecia Meliana
What TikTok just launched for advertisers
TikTok’s new features target three major pain points for marketers: search, consideration-stage engagement, and ecommerce optimization.
- Search Ads Center: A new section inside Ads Manager built to support the growing number of users using TikTok as a search engine. The tool recommends keywords, filters out irrelevant terms, and previews creative—mirroring what performance advertisers expect from traditional search platforms.
- Market Scope: A visual dashboard that maps users along the purchase funnel—awareness, consideration, or conversion—giving brands more intelligence on where audiences sit in their buying journey.
- Brand Consideration Ads: A fresh mid-funnel format that lets advertisers specifically optimize for consideration—not just clicks or impressions.
- Smart+ and Symphony upgrades: TikTok is doubling down on generative AI. Smart+, its automated media buying tool, now connects with Symphony, allowing real-time creative localization with tools like AI dubbing and video generation.
- Catalog Ads meets Smart+: Brands can now combine Smart+ with Catalog Ads to turn product feeds into tailored, shoppable video ads—automatically.
These tools aim to solidify TikTok’s value proposition to performance marketers, particularly in ecommerce and mid-funnel engagement—a space where competitors like Meta and YouTube have more mature offerings.
Atikah Amalia
Why this rollout matters now
TikTok’s AI push isn’t just about improving advertiser ROI. It’s a strategic play to lock in marketers at a time when platform stability is in serious question.
The platform faces a possible US ban that could sever it from 170 million American users, slicing into billions in potential ad revenue.
According to the World Advertising Research Centre, the impact of such a move would be massive—not just for TikTok but for the broader creator economy and ad ecosystem.
By launching tools that mirror what marketers get from Google, Meta, and Amazon, TikTok is making a bold pitch: stay invested, because we’re evolving fast—even under pressure.
And it’s working. Case in point: TikTok says L’Oréal pulled in over US$1 million in a single TikTok Shop livestream last year. The platform is betting more brands want in, especially with these new AI-driven capabilities that promise scale and efficiency.
Patrecia Meliana
What marketers should know
These updates offer both opportunity and risk. Here’s what performance marketers and media planners should consider:
1. Plan for search behavior, not just scroll behavior
TikTok’s Search Ads Center reflects a clear trend: users aren’t just watching—they’re searching. If one in four users starts searching within 30 seconds, that’s an intent signal marketers can’t ignore. Brands should optimize video metadata and scripts for searchability, much like they do on YouTube.
2. Rethink your mid-funnel play
Brand Consideration Ads and Market Scope signal TikTok’s move beyond top-of-funnel impressions. Now’s the time to align your creative with where your audience actually is—especially if you’re running full-funnel campaigns.
3. Test localized AI creative—fast
With Smart+ and Symphony integration, brands can test multilingual, AI-dubbed ads during setup. This isn’t just a time-saver—it’s a localization breakthrough, particularly for cross-border campaigns in APAC or LATAM markets.
4. Prepare a platform contingency plan
With a US ban still possible, marketers should create backup strategies. Diversify spend across Reels and Shorts. Mirror high-performing TikTok creatives on other platforms. And stay current on US-China policy developments that could shift overnight.
