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Meta plans to fully automate ad creation using artificial intelligence by the end of next year. The move, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, could upend the traditional advertising world and redefine how businesses, big and small, promote themselves online.
The tech giant’s current tools already help advertisers tweak existing ads using AI, but the next phase is much bigger.
According to the WSJ, Meta wants businesses to simply upload a product image, set a budget, and let AI handle everything else — from generating images, videos, and text to determining who should see the ad on Facebook and Instagram.
“In the not-too-distant future, we want to get to a world where any business will be able to just tell us what objective they’re trying to achieve, like selling something or getting a new customer, how much they’re willing to pay for each result, and connect their bank account and then we just do the rest for them,” said CEO Mark Zuckerberg during Meta’s annual shareholder meeting last week, according to the WSJ.
Personalized ads, in real time
One of the most intriguing parts of this development is real-time personalization.
Meta’s AI tools are expected to show users different versions of the same ad based on factors such as their location. For instance, someone in a snowy region might see a car driving up a mountain, while someone in a city might see it cruising through downtown streets.
These hyper-personalized ads could make marketing feel more relevant and effective.
What does this mean for ad agencies?
Not everyone is excited about Meta’s plan to automate ads; the traditional advertising industry is already feeling the heat. As The Guardian reports, Meta’s move “sent shock waves through the traditional marketing industry,” raising fears that agencies could lose control over the ad creation process.
Meta insists this isn’t the goal.
“We believe in the future of agencies,” said Alex Schultz, Meta’s chief marketing officer and vice president of Analytics, in a recent LinkedIn post. “We believe AI will enable agencies and advertisers to focus precious time and resources on the creativity that matters.”
Schultz added that these tools are especially helpful for “millions of small businesses… who aren’t able to work with an agency, or don’t have time during their busy days to think about their creative or targeting.”
But some brands remain cautious. As the WSJ reports, advertisers worry that AI-generated content can sometimes appear odd or of low quality, and addressing these issues takes time and money. There’s also concern over creative control and brand safety.
Meta’s golden goose
Advertising is the lifeblood of Meta’s business; it made up more than 97% of the company’s revenue in 2024. That cash is helping fund Meta’s push into AI, including heavy investments in custom chips and massive data centers. Meta expects to spend up to $72 billion in 2025, primarily on AI infrastructure.
This vision, where AI handles everything from creative to targeting, is what Zuckerberg calls “a redefinition of the category of advertising.”