Meta rolls out new AI ad tools to boost holiday sales

Meta is arming advertisers with fresh AI-powered features ahead of the holiday season, aiming to help brands “sleigh” sales with creators, video, and smarter merchandising.

The updates span Reels, creator partnerships, creative insights, and omnichannel ads, all designed to improve performance and product discovery.

• Meta says the enhancements build on its investments in AI infrastructure like Andromeda, GEM, and the Advantage+ suite.

How it works:

• Creator commerce. New filters in Instagram’s creator marketplace make it easier for businesses to find partners by language and region. Advertisers can now merge creator content with catalog ads and even feature testimonials within partnership ads.
• Reels upgrades. Brands can turn single media ads into shoppable formats, add catalog video carousels on Instagram Reels, and surface more product info when users swipe up. Early tests showed up to a 7% lift in conversions.
• Creative diversification. Flexible media lets AI repurpose assets across placements, boosting conversions by 23% in tests. New creative insights and related media tools give advertisers recommendations to fight fatigue and expand reach.
• Omnichannel and Shops. Omnichannel ads, now globally available, optimize for purchases online or in-store, with brands like Target reporting a 51% ROAS lift. Shops ads are expanding to new markets including Mexico, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Japan.

Why we care. Holiday shopping season is make-or-break for many retailers, and Meta wants advertisers to lean into its AI systems rather than trying to outsmart them. The tools are designed to make it easier to reach the right audience with engaging, shoppable content, boost conversion rates, and optimize campaigns across online and in-store channels – especially during the critical holiday season when competition and consumer demand are at their peak.

Bottom line. Meta is doubling down on AI-powered commerce features, giving businesses more ways to turn creative into conversions this holiday season – whether online, in-store, or inside a Reels scroll.