Does generating creative use tokens?

Yes. Generating images and copy runs Mark's AI, so it uses tokens. Image generation in particular is more token-intensive than a plain chat message, since producing a picture is heavier work than writing a sentence.

What is free

Uploading your own media does not cost tokens. Only the AI generation itself counts. So if you already have photos or video, using them is a token-free way to build creative.

Keeping an eye on it

If you are generating a lot of creative, that is usually where your tokens are going. You can confirm this under Plan & Billing, in the Token Usage view, which breaks consumption down by source.

As always, tokens measure Mark's AI usage only. They are separate from the money you pay Meta for ad spend.