TikTok’s digital ad ecosystem now includes a cast of AI-generated avatars built from the likenesses of real people—like actor-turned-avatar Scott Jacqmein, who licensed his image thinking it’d help his career. Instead, he now gets texts from friends wondering why he’s suddenly fluent in Spanish and selling astrology apps. For a one-time payment of $750 and a trip to the Bay Area, Mr. Jacqmein’s face and gestures are now available to brands for almost any sales pitch, from fiber supplements to bathroom cleaner—some of which leave him more than a little uncomfortable.
These avatars are part of TikTok’s push to make ad production faster and cheaper, especially for small businesses. Brands can choose from a catalog of virtual spokespeople categorized by age, race, and gender, and tweak backdrops and scripts right from TikTok’s self-serve tools. Actors, however, have found out the hard way that the fine print allows these videos to appear on other platforms like CapCut and even YouTube—without royalties, oversight, or the benefit of their signature facial hair. In fact, some were paid as little as $500 for what has become unlimited use of their virtual selves.
Advertisers are leaning in: one Israeli ad tech firm used TikTok avatars for rapid A/B testing across languages and scripts. “Steve,” the pseudonym for Mr. Jacqmein’s avatar, now exists in multiple realities, often with stilted phrasing and inexplicable Spanish skills. Performers interviewed wish they’d pushed for clearer contracts or, ideally, agents. As a marketing tool, avatars are clearly effective—and significantly cheaper than flying in talent—but as one actor put it, the tech is evolving much faster than the paperwork.
Full story at New York Times.