Meta to fully automate advertising with AI by end of 2026
The new technology will enable brands to generate entire ads, including visuals, video, and copy, using just a product image and their intended marketing spend.
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Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is preparing to roll out artificial intelligence tools that will allow brands to fully create and target ad campaigns without the need for traditional marketing agencies. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The AI-driven system, set to launch by the end of next year, will enable advertisers to generate complete campaigns using just a product image and a marketing budget.
From creating images, videos, and text to tailoring campaigns with precise geolocation targeting the tools are designed to handle every stage of the advertising process.
This development is part of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's broader push to redefine advertising as an AI-first business. "It's a redefinition of the category of advertising," Zuckerberg noted, as Meta continues to pour billions into AI infrastructure - with capital expenditures for 2025 projected between $64 billion and $74 billion, up from earlier forecasts.
The potential impact of Meta's AI ad tools on the $160 billion ad empire it already commands, has rattled the traditional advertising sector.
Global marketing giants saw immediate fallout: WPP's shared dropped 3% in early trading on Monday, while France's Publicis Groupe and Havas fell 3.9% and 3%, respectively.
Until now, Meta's platform has offered limited AI features, mostly to tweak existing ad creatives. However, the upcoming suite aims to automate the entire ad journey - eliminating roles currently played by creative, planning, and media buying agencies. It could also democratize advertising by attracting small and mid-sized businesses that lack access to full-service marketing firms.
For instance, a holiday company could upload a single product photo and enter its budget. Meta’s AI would then build and place custom ads, showing vacation deals to users most likely to be interested - perhaps based on recent travel searches, weather conditions, or flight patterns.
