Meta is working toward a future where many of the ads you see on Facebook or Instagram are created from scratch by artificial intelligence, and thus more easily targeted specifically to you. Its goal is fully automated AI-powered ad generation by the end of 2026, the Wall Street Journal first reported. Following this initial news, TikTok also announced it's launching AI-powered advertising features on its platform and Meta unveiled that ads are now coming to WhatsApp -- further strengthening the threads between advertising and AI.
These moves could cut out roles for many human copywriters, designers and media buyers and potentially shake up the $600 billion global ad business, but it also could be a new, lower-cost resource for small and medium-sized businesses.
Along the way it will likely raise fresh questions about creativity and accuracy as AI edges into another realm of decision-making by humans. Meta has broad ambitions to weave AI across its platforms. It has already integrated its Meta AI chatbot across Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and WhatsApp, explored creating AI avatars on Instagram, and worked generative AI tools into its apps. Meta did not respond to a request for comment.
With competitors like Google and Amazon also building AI-powered ad systems, automating advertising is just one more piece of a much larger puzzle. To gain a deeper understanding of how this news affects the ad industry and the almost 4 billion people who use Meta platforms, I spoke to Gary Kayye, a professor of advertising at UNC Chapel Hill and an industry professional for over 30 years.
Kayye, who embraces and requires AI use in his classroom, views this as an opportunity for anyone in the world to make AI work for them when it comes to marketing and commerce. "All of a sudden, millions of individual creators who were intimidated by advertising can start small and grow," Kayye said. "Then, as they grow their businesses, they're going to advertise more and then they're going to spend more, so you're going to increase the amount of commerce globally."
Read more: What Is Meta AI? Everything to Know About These AI Tools
What's in it for you
If you're on Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, expect to see more personalized ads. The AI-driven systems allow companies to specify which users it wants to target so the AI can hone the images, video and text accordingly, the Journal reported. They may even whip up new versions of ads in real time depending on where you are. You could see a car ad showing the car driving up a mountain if you're in a snowy location, or see that same car driving in city streets if you're in an urban environment, the Journal reported.
"The low-hanging fruit for AI in advertising has always been programmatic (ads)," Kayye said, referring to the digital advertisements bought and sold automatically using software and algorithms. "You upload an image, a short description, pick the audience, and AI can do the rest. If Facebook's AI can predict the right audience well enough, then create multiple ad variations and run A/B/C/D tests automatically, that could be sort of magical."
At the same time, media and ethics experts warn that fully automating ad creation could open the door to misinformation, biased targeting and further erosion of accountability in digital advertising. AI is susceptible to mistakes and manipulation, and it can be used to spread harmful messaging, such as AI-generated deepfakes.
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