Dubai, UAE: Advertisers see artificial intelligence automation as the next major driver of business growth, but most have yet to fully embed it into their core operations, according to new research released by TikTok in partnership with NewtonX.
The study found that 93% of advertisers and executives expect AI-driven automation to help drive future business growth, while 96% believe it will improve their own job performance. However, just 18% have fully integrated AI into their core operations and invested at scale, highlighting a significant gap between ambition and execution.
Advertisers cited data privacy and compliance concerns, a lack of in-house skills, and the rapid pace of AI innovation as key barriers slowing adoption. Despite these challenges, expectations around returns remain high, with 62% predicting automation could halve departmental costs and 84% expecting to see returns within one year.
The research also shows growing momentum behind AI adoption. While full-scale integration remains limited, 78% of executives surveyed said they are increasing their focus on automation initiatives and investing more in AI capabilities, signalling a shift toward broader implementation.
At the same time, marketers are facing mounting pressure to improve campaign performance. The study references a Gartner CMO Survey which found that 87% of CMOs globally experienced campaign performance issues in the past year, with nearly half forced to terminate campaigns early due to poor results.
Against this backdrop, TikTok is emerging as a key platform for AI-powered marketing automation. More than 51% of advertisers ranked TikTok as the number one platform for advanced automation in marketing, while 93% said TikTok’s AI-powered features help them move faster and adapt at the speed of culture. Nearly all respondents (96%) expect to increase their use of TikTok’s automation tools over the next six months.
Shadi Kandil, General Manager, Global Business Solutions, Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Central and South Asia at TikTok, said: “AI Automation is becoming essential for marketers striving to stay ahead. With Smart+ and Symphony, we’re helping brands reach the right people, create culturally relevant content at scale, and maximize performance with less effort. By removing operational complexity, we’re enabling advertisers to focus on strategy and creativity that fuels growth.”
TikTok said it is continuing to expand its AI-powered advertising tools, including upgrades to Smart+, which automates targeting, bidding and creative selection, and Symphony, its generative AI creative suite designed to streamline content production. The company said the tools aim to improve return on investment while simplifying workflows and enabling marketers to create TikTok-first ads more efficiently.
The findings are based on the TikTok Marketing Science Global AI/Automation Study 2025, conducted by NewtonX, along with insights from the Gartner CMO Survey 2025.
