TikTok, the Chinese social media platform, is in the experimental phase with a new AI tool for its e-commerce branch, TikTok Shop. This tool is intended to scan videos to detect products and recommend similar items to users. In the past, TikTok allowed content creators to tag products in their videos through an affiliate program. However, this new AI feature does not currently involve creators and does not guarantee any sales commission based on video-driven purchases.
As per reports from Insider, a TikTok representative verified that the AI tool is in its initial stages. The company is testing the tool with a limited release to a small group of users in the US and UK, and it may not officially launch.
Utilizing machine-object detection, TikTok’s AI identifies products in videos and suggests similar categories of products. According to the report, some users are beginning to notice a shopping button on their uploaded videos. For instance, if a user shares a video of a Diwali celebration wearing a specific attire, this AI feature will present options to find “more wedding dresses on TikTok Shop” on the “For You” feed of other users. The video will display a “Shop Now” button that leads to the app’s Shop tab; however, it redirects to the Shop’s main page rather than a specific wedding dress section. Users are not informed before their videos are used for the Shop, as reported.
The platform is progressively integrating e-commerce into the application to enhance the user experience. The implementation of this AI tool is another stride to bolster its shopping section. TikTok has offered shipping deals and discounts to merchants, provided bonuses to influencers incorporating affiliate links, and initiated various incentives for retailers during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
TikTok is not the only platform employing such features. Other social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram also offer product tagging in images and videos. Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Google have likewise utilized machine learning to identify products visually, providing enhanced recommendations to users.
