The latest
AI-generated shopping videos are rapidly expanding on TikTok Shop as creators use avatars and digital replicas to promote products and earn commissions more quickly.
TikTok provides its own AI video-generation tools, while both the platform and creators benefit from resulting sales. But creators who film real product demonstrations are pushing back, and some brands are tightening their rules.
SharkNinja has banned affiliates from using AI-generated content to promote its products and can withhold commissions when the policy is violated. The company says it wants real people to show how its products work.
Details:
- Rapid growth: TikTok Shop’s US gross merchandise value is expected to rise 48% this year to $23.41 billion.
- Affiliate spending: US advertisers are projected to spend $13.8 billion on affiliate commissions, an increase of 11.3%.
- Expanding creator base: TikTok Shop is expected to have 11.3 million affiliate sellers worldwide this year, including 945,000 in the US, compared with 2.3 million globally in 2024.
- Platform policy: TikTok allows fully AI-generated content when it is properly disclosed and does not include false or misleading claims.
- Automated production: The platform’s tools can turn still product images into three-dimensional videos featuring avatars that appear to hold or use the items.
- Brand restrictions: SharkNinja prohibits affiliates from using TikTok’s AI video maker and may remove commissions linked to prohibited content.
- Two strategies: Brands can open affiliate programs to large numbers of creators or manually select partners for greater control.
- The trade-off: Manual review gives brands more oversight but reduces the speed and reach of promotional campaigns.
- Unapproved promotion: An AI-generated digital twin promoted Rare Beauty products even though the company says it does not work with AI creators or digital replicas.
- Limited control: Brands cannot entirely prevent independent creators from publishing AI-generated videos featuring their products.
Between the lines
The dispute exposes a growing conflict of incentives: TikTok and affiliate creators benefit from higher content volume and sales, while brands bear the reputational risk when products are promoted through unrealistic or unauthorized demonstrations.
What to Watch:
Whether TikTok gives brands stronger control over AI-generated promotions and whether disclosure labels prove sufficient to protect consumers. More companies could impose restrictions if complaints about deceptive or unrealistic content increase.
