Meta Platforms Inc. today announced the rollout of generative artificial intelligence-powered features for ad creatives in the Meta Ads Manager.

Generative AI has witnessed a huge rise in various sectors over the last year, with machine learning algorithms capable of generating content spanning text, images and videos. The technology has often been praised for its ability to create high-quality, varied and contextually relevant content, reducing the manual input required in content creation processes.

Meta’s new generative AI features for Meta Ads Manager include the integration of AI into its advertising features and has been designed to maximize productivity, personalization and performance for all advertisers. “These features will unlock a new era of creativity,” Vice President of Monetization Matt Steiner told reporters in a briefing.

The AI additions include three new features: Background Generation, Image Expansion and Text Variations.

Background Generation, as the name suggests, can create multiple backgrounds to complement the advertiser’s product images, allowing advertisers to tailor their creative assets for different audiences. Image Expansion also does as the name suggests, seamlessly adjusting creative assets to fit different aspect ratios across multiple surfaces, such as Feed or Reels, allowing advertisers to spend less time and resources on repurposing creative assets. The last feature, Text Variations, generates multiple versions of ad texts based on the advertiser’s original copy, highlighting the selling points.

The new AI features came about after Meta launched what it calls the “AI Sandbox” in May to test new advertising features, including AI tools, before making them broadly available. The feedback from the AI Sandbox included feedback from advertisers, such as that generative AI can save time and resources while spurring productivity.

Feedback from advertisers also found that generative AI eases creative fatigue, but there is still room to customize. It was found that while Creatives have a large impact on the performance of an ad, advertisers find it challenging to identify the best-performing creative at large scale. Generative AI is said to enable advertisers to introduce new ad creative faster, but there is still work to do on delivering outputs customized to every brand’s unique voice and visual style.

“Today’s generative AI-powered ad features are just a start,” Meta concluded in the announcement post. “We plan to offer advertisers more ways to generate ad copy to highlight product selling points or generate background images in minutes with tailored themes, like outdoor images for an athleisure brand.”

The company said the features have already started rolling out in the U.S. and will roll out globally next year.

With reporting from Robert Hof

Image: Meta