TikTok + NewtonX Quantify AI Automation Leadership in Advertising

93% of advertisers say AI automation makes them better at their jobs, and most expect ROI within a year. TikTok and NewtonX set out to define what real leadership looks like in the era of automated advertising.

As AI automation transformed advertising, TikTok sought to understand what true adoption and leadership look like

TikTok recognized a pivotal shift: AI automation was no longer experimental; it was redefining how advertisers create, optimize, and measure campaigns. Yet amid the momentum, many brands still lacked clarity on what effective adoption looked like or who was leading the change.

To bring definition to this new era, TikTok partnered with NewtonX to ground the conversation in verified data and define what leadership in AI-powered advertising truly means.

NewtonX surveys 1,200 global executives and marketing and advertising practitioners to define AI automation leadership

NewtonX conducted a global study for TikTok to quantify how AI automation is transforming marketing and to identify the attributes that define true leadership. The research surveyed more than 1,200 executives and advertisers across nine countries and eight industries, using NewtonX’s verified B2B network and key driver analysis to reveal what drives perceptions of AI leadership across platforms.

Each respondent met three strict criteria: they were familiar with automation through AI, worked at a company that had purchased paid media on social or video platforms in the past year, and had both implementation of and budget for AI initiatives.

The findings were decisive. Ninety-three percent of advertisers said AI automation makes them better at their jobs, and eight in ten expect measurable ROI within a year. Yet few have fully embedded automation across creative, targeting, and measurement, revealing a maturity gap that limits impact.

In this fragmented landscape, TikTok emerged as the clear leader, recognized for continuous innovation (78%), technical expertise (76%), and creativity (78%)—the three defining drivers of AI automation leadership. The data confirmed what the industry had sensed: TikTok is not just adopting automation; it is setting the pace for it.

The research also uncovered a major execution gap: while 90 percent of executives are betting on AI for growth, only 19 percent have deeply integrated it. Those that have are almost universally satisfied, with 97 percent reporting measurable gains.

“To lead in AI, brands need more than innovation, they need evidence. Partnering with NewtonX provided that proof. Their verified data and strategic insight helped us show, with confidence, how AI automation is reshaping advertising and marketing.”
—Rachael Ryan, Head of Research & Insights at TikTok

NewtonX and TikTok research debuts at Advertising Week New York and shapes the narrative around AI automation leadership

TikTok partnered with NewtonX to define AI leadership perceptions

TikTok and NewtonX co-authored the Automation for Performance report to help marketers move from curiosity to confidence in AI automation. The findings debuted at Advertising Week New York 2025 during the session “Take Control: Steer Automation to Performance Outcomes,” featuring Emily Freed and David Kaufman from TikTok, Leon Mishkis from NewtonX, and Allie Mauldin from Peloton. TikTok and NewtonX shared how the research is shaping the next generation of AI automation, while Peloton illustrated how the platform’s tools are already driving real-world performance gains.

The insights became central to TikTok’s product rollout, supporting the launch of enhanced Smart+, Symphony, and GMV Max solutions and reinforcing TikTok’s position as the leader in controllable, creative automation. To see how TikTok turned research into proof of leadership, you can read more in the newsroom announcement here. 

“To lead in AI, brands need more than innovation, they need evidence,” said Rachael Ryan, Head of Research & Insights at TikTok. “Partnering with NewtonX provided that proof. Their verified data and strategic insight helped us show, with confidence, how AI automation is reshaping advertising and marketing."

The most successful companies partner with NewtonX to conduct custom, high-value research and secure their status as industry leaders. Reach out today to discuss how we can help you build your signature study and define your category with definitive proof points.