Tako was just the start, it seems.
In February, TikTok widely rolled out Tako, its AI chatbot. As we’ve seen with ChatGPT, conversational AI environments are increasingly attractive for advertising. When we covered Tako’s launch, we even asked it about ads—and the bot suggested they could come eventually. Most chat-based AI experiences are likely to become ad-supported in some form over time.
Fast forward to this week, and TikTok appears to be testing another AI-driven surface: AI Overviews. When users tap a video’s description or comments, an AI Overview can appear. TikTok says it uses AI (either its own models or third-party tools) to analyze the video and surface additional information and related questions, as well as visually similar items, products, or scenes.
Directly beneath the AI Overview are AI-powered “Related Posts,” followed by a search bar prompting users to ask Tako questions. Together, these features start to look like new inventory.
Why This Matters:
More TikTok ad inventory is a clear win. It’s one of the most influential social platforms, especially among younger audiences, and arguably the one that moves culture the fastest. More tailored, AI-powered experiences—across text and short-form video—only make it more valuable to advertisers. Notably, TikTok’s description of AI Overviews includes product recommendations, which could further expand opportunities for TikTok Shop sellers.
On Tako specifically, advertisers want more AI chat surfaces to run campaigns on. They view them positively and see a major opportunity to reach users in more personal, contextual moments—something that hasn’t really existed at scale before.
What makes Tako different is that it lives inside a walled garden where culture and trends are constantly forming. That creates the potential for brands to be integrated more seamlessly into those moments, combining the context of a one-on-one interaction with the broader TikTok ecosystem.
Experts React:
Here’s the full description of AI Overviews, per TikTok:
Some users aren’t fans of the Overviews, as seen here:
As TikTok rolls out more potential ad surfaces, balancing that with the user experience will be key. For example, should these replace comment sections? Probably not.
Our Take:
All of this is still theoretical, as these are new experiences and potential ad surfaces—there are no ads here yet. But as we’ve seen with ChatGPT, the demand is there. That likely extends beyond Tako to the broader set of AI-driven features like Overviews and Related Posts.
It’s also worth noting that TikTok tends to roll out changes like this quietly. It’s not always clear why, but it’s a contrast to others that loudly market every AI update. When TikTok is ready to put more weight behind these features—and eventually monetize them—advertisers will be paying attention.
