TikTok expands your audience to the whole world with AI. Are you ready?

OMG, IT’S SUNNY, AI enthusiasts! ☀️🕶️

What else could we ask for? Except for a new, fresh, hot bunch of updates from the AI world! 🌍 And, unlike the weather in the UK, this is in my power. So, welcome back to Max’s weekly newsletter, reader. 

Today, as always, we’ll discuss prospects and failures of artificial intelligence 🦾 And if you want someone else to be on the same page with you - recommend and subscribe. There is always a place for a new fella on our team! 🥹

1. TikTok Symphony 👯‍♂️

It’s not only about dancing routines any more. TikTok launched Symphony 🎶, a suite of ad solutions powered by generative AI. Three main new features aiming to help creators and brands produce TikTok-specific content were included at TikTok World 2024: Symphony Digital Avatars, AI Dubbing for global translations and the Symphony Collective.

Let's dive deeper and understand what to expect. First thing first - Digital Avatars 🙋🏽‍♂️Andy Yang, Head of Creative Product at TikTok, highlighted that Symphony Digital Avatars enable creators to scale globally by using generative AI avatars of real people. These avatars can help brands create personalised, human-like content in various languages and styles.

Two types 2️⃣ are available: Stock (pre-built avatars created using paid actors, available in over 30 languages) and Custom (personalised avatars representing a creator or brand spokesperson with multi-language capabilities).

Symphony AI Dubbing 🔤 is a tool for translating content into multiple languages, enhancing inclusivity and global reach. The tool automatically detects the original language and transcribes, translates, and dubs the video.

And the Symphony Collective 🤝, an Industry Advisory Board, was also launched to discuss AI's responsible use in marketing. It includes content creators and industry leaders from various sectors, aiming to provide feedback and insights for TikTok's AI marketing solutions.

Overall, Symphony should allow businesses, creators and agencies to blend human creativity with AI efficiency, enhancing content development and productivity on TikTok. According to the company’s research, TikTok-first ads increase 📈 purchase intent by 37% and brand favorability by 38%, with 79% of users favouring brands that understand TikTok-specific content.

For better or for worse, let’s look for a man in finance and dance like no one’s watching! 🪩

2. Towards 6G 🤙

During the last weeks, we discussed Apple, Samsung, and Google integrating AI into their handsets, leading to greater data generation and more sophisticated network management. In response to this, mobile phone networks 📳 are increasingly embracing artificial intelligence to enhance their operations and manage the burgeoning data demands driven by AI-powered devices.

Telecom operators such as O2, EE, Vodafone and Three are deploying AI to dynamically manage radio frequencies and cell towers, optimising service and reducing energy consumption. For instance, Vodafone employs AI digital twins for network monitoring and partners with Microsoft to improve customer service with AI-driven digital assistants.

The shift towards 5G Standalone networks, which offer higher speeds 🏎️ and capacity, is partly driven by the need to handle the data surge from AI applications. However, some experts (and I agree with them) believe that AI's full potential will be realised with the future rollout of 6G – can’t wait! 😜 

AI is also enhancing customer service in the telecom sector, with initiatives like the Global Telco AI Alliance developing specialised AI chatbots to handle basic customer queries, freeing up human agents for more complex issues. This might be a place to raise concerns about job losses however, many in the industry view AI as a tool for empowerment and increased efficiency 💭

3. Hungry for more? 🍟

McDonald’s has recently decided to end its trial of AI-powered chatbots at drive-thrus locations in over 100 locations. The AI system developed in partnership with IBM in 2021 responded to customers making orders that were made in error 🙃 that went viral on social media.

McDonald’s has been testing AI-powered systems in its drive-thru lanes since 2019, but the outcry against rolling out their new tech has become the subject of most frustration and humour 😂 among TikTok users. One TikTok video features a woman trying to order ice cream but getting butter and ketchup packets instead, while another shows a bot placing nine sweet teas on order instead of one. Another super user humorously documented their order being mistakenly filled with over $250 worth of McNugget meals 🤯

Despite terminating the trial, McDondald’s indicated that voice-ordering solutions will be included in their future plans. These technologies haven’t been working as they had hoped; they were confident the tech would act as a solution to labour shortages within the industry, but to no avail so far.

Despite the issues, McDonald’s, Sonic, Chipotle and Taco Bell continue to explore AI and automation to address labour shortages and improve efficiency. McDonald’s even opened a nearly fully automated restaurant in Texas 🤠, featuring digital order kiosks and a conveyor belt system for picking up orders.

With or without robots - what a dispute, I’m lovin’ it! 🍔

That’s all from me. I’m going to pick up my sunglasses and catch a bit of sun now 😎 Thank you for reading and see you next week! 

Stay curious and SPFed! 🔥

Max

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