How To Make Money With AI in 2024

According to recent research by BBC, generative AI could replace about 300 million jobs. The thought can be unsettling, especially for a writer like me. 

However, here’s an unbelievable thought: You can make money with AI. Before you dismiss my opinion, hear me out. 

Hustling hard is a thing of the past. Working smart is the real deal with tangible results, and AI is one way to do that. 

I’m not talking about logging into your ChatGPT account and expecting millions of dollars out of the blue. Instead, I’m referring to leveraging AI’s benefits to improve the quality and quantity of your work. 

For example, you can use AI to increase your daily output if you’re a writer. Or, if you’re a programmer, AI can be helpful in code development and debugging. Even more fascinating is the role AI can play in investing. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg, and if you’re curious about how to make money with AI, this article is exactly what you need. 

Join me as I explore endless opportunities to supplement your income or even start a full-time gig. I’ll also share bonus tips to help you maximize your chosen AI tool. 

How To Make Money With AI

Regardless of your profession, there are numerous ways to make money with AI. 

Whether you’re a graphic designer, social media marketer, or SEO strategist, you can improve your work using AI tools. 

While there’s a fear of artificial intelligence replacing human labor, it can be an excellent way to make extra cash if you capitalize on its benefits, such as speed, accuracy, and efficiency. 

Here are some side hustle ideas you can explore if you want to make money with AI. You can also turn them into full-time ventures with the right strategies. 

1. Generate Written Content 

When you think about an AI-generated blog post, the first thing that comes to mind is the lack of human touch. So, it may seem ironic to recommend using AI to make money as a content writer. 

However, judging from my experience, AI speeds up the process. Therefore, it’s worth having, especially if you’re getting paid by the word.  

For instance, if you write 2,000 words daily, you can use AI to increase your output to twice or three times the number. 

Copying and pasting AI-generated content may hurt your reputation because such content may rank poorly on search engines. That said, you should master leveraging AI technology to boost your work, but don’t rely solely on it. 

There are different niches in the writing space, and I’m sure you’ll be wondering if ChatGPT can be helpful in your niche by now. Let’s look at different niches and specific applicable AI tools.

Freelance Writing 

Are you a ghostwriter who helps authors bring their ideas to life? Or perhaps you create content for a travel blog? 

There’s a high demand for freelance writers, and AI can be a valuable tool in your corner. Here are some tools you can use as a freelance writer on Upwork or Fiverr:

• ChatGPT: Generate content
• Grammarly: Performs grammar and plagiarism checks for as low as $12 monthly.  
• Quillbot: This tool helps polish your content, making it concise and enhancing clarity. 
• Resume.io: Perfect for generating resumes, document templates, and cover letters. 

Copywriting 

Copywriting is a profitable niche within the writing space. You can use AI to generate catchy sales pages, newsletters, and cold emails.

You can leverage the following tools as a copywriter:

• Writersonic: Offers SEO optimization and AI chat in real time for $12 monthly. 
• Claude: Craft compelling copy with the help of this powerful ai.
• ContentBot: It lets you generate any type of content, including blog topic ideas and sales strategies, at $1 per 1,000 words. 

The best part is that these AI writing tools offer free trials. While the features might be limited, it’s an excellent way to determine if a tool suits your needs. 

By incorporating these tools into your writing gigs, you can improve the quality and quantity of your content, which can boost your income. 

2. Photo Editing 

If you’re more interested in photo editing, AI offers an easier and more efficient way to perform significant editing concepts like:

• Adjusting lighting 
• Bokeh and background blurring 
• Applying filters and effects 
• Masking and layering 

Professional photographers always seek out freelance photo editors to carry out meticulous processes that elevate their photos. 

The following AI tools are excellent options in this space:

• Adobe Lightroom
• Luminar
• Topaz Photo AI

Another way to make money with AI in the photography field is by generating visual images to use in ecommerce. 

For instance, you can work with brands to generate photos for commercials, logos, and marketing. 

You can also dive into photography and get your AI-enhanced pictures out there without working under a photographer. 

This may seem challenging, but you can start with your smartphone and upgrade to a good-quality camera as you gain footing. 

After editing your images using AI, you can sell them on stock photo sites like Getty Images, Adobe Stock, and Shutterstock. 

3. Chatbot Development 

It’s every business’s dream to provide the best customer service, and what better way to do that than having a chatbot that responds promptly to client queries? 

Customer inquiries can be overwhelming in number, and they may also come in during off hours. 

Incorporating an AI chatbot into a business reduces work overload while also ensuring a round-the-clock system for catering to clients. 

You can program the chatbot to respond to simple common inquiries like business hours, product details, pricing, and payment procedures. 

If you’re intrigued by interactive AI, consider offering this service to small and large businesses alike to increase your income. Here are some options you could leverage:

• Botsonic: Costs $49 monthly.
• ManyChat: For a $15 monthly fee, you can create chatbots for WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram.
• Tidio: You’ll need to pay $29 monthly. 

Many businesses don’t know they need this because it’s an upcoming technology. 

Therefore, the best way to land clients is by identifying firms and organizations that would benefit from a chatbot and pitching your idea through cold emails or phone calls. 

Also, consider scouting for clients on Upwork, LinkedIn, Indeed, and GitHub. 

4. Video Editing 

Like photo editing, AI can enhance videos for brands and businesses. Videos play a crucial role in marketing, especially with the growing popularity of TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram reels. 

However, creating seamless transitions, ensuring perfect lighting, and syncing audio may be challenging, so most businesses and individuals prefer outsourcing the work to experts. 

If you’re knowledgeable about AI video editing tools like Filmora and Animoto, sign up on Fiverr and Upwork to put your skills to work. 

You can also incorporate these AI tools into your business to create promotional videos to widen your customer base. 

5. Affiliate Marketing 

Affiliate marketing involves promoting products from brands, companies, and individuals and then earning a commission for every sale. 

Most affiliate marketing commissions range between 2% and 30%, but you can earn more depending on the program’s policies. 

But where does AI come into play in affiliate marketing? 

By using AI tools to conduct market research and analysis, you can identify the best affiliate programs to join that are in line with your financial goals. 

Once you join an affiliate program, you can leverage AI to create eye-catching blog posts, email campaigns, promotional videos, and product reviews to engage clients and encourage them to purchase the products. 

AI is also helpful in optimizing product descriptions and content for SEO. You can also use it to generate your affiliate links and track their performance. 

Here are some fantastic options:

• ThirstyAffiliates: $249 annually for basic.
• Post Affiliate Pro: $129 monthly 
• Pretty Links: $99.60 annually 

6. Language Translation 

Translation is an in-demand skill now that many businesses and companies are expanding to other countries. 

If you’re bilingual, using AI tools like ChatGPT, Worldly, and DeepL can ease your burden and enable you to handle more tasks. 

However, AI translations may not always be accurate. That’s why you need to be conversant with the languages you’re translating. 

To ensure accuracy in translation, it would be best to review the work after the AI tool has translated it. 

Even better is if you understand more than two languages, because that translates to more tasks and more money.  

You can earn up to $40 an hour as a language translator.

7. Social Media Management 

Social media is easy to navigate if you’re on the receiving end, but the opposite is true for social media influencers, businesses, and brands. 

Social media content creation usually involves uploading high-quality pictures and videos, along with captivating captions. 

On top of all this, influencers, businesses, and brands have to engage with their audience in the comments section, shoutouts, and live feeds. 

Most business owners prefer outsourcing the social media management work so that they can focus on product creation and business management. 

This is where you come in as an experienced social media manager with the skills and AI tools to boost productivity. 

You can utilize AI to schedule posts and optimize content for SEO.

Can’t come up with an eye-catching caption because you’re experiencing social media burnout? Worry not, because AI tools like Captions simplify your work by generating captions for you.

If you’re a social media manager looking to boost your work and handle more tasks, I recommend trying Ocoya for $15 monthly. 

This AI tool offers writing, automation, scheduling, and analytics, which are all critical aspects of social media management. 

8. Graphic Design 

Are you still seeking a way to make money with AI? If so, graphic design with AI is worth exploring. 

You can utilize tools like DALL.E to develop digital images for your clients. This AI tool by OpenAI generates precise images from textual prompts you enter on ChatGPT.

For instance, if you’re having trouble visualizing an image for a poster, you only need to describe it in detail, and the AI will generate the photo. 

That’s not all. You can also use DALLE.E to generate textures, styles, colors, and other graphic illustrations you need for your project. 

Canva is a popular tool among graphic designers. While it’s not AI per se, it has numerous AI-assisted features that are useful in design. 

For example, Canva uses AI algorithms to remove image backgrounds, suggest fonts, and ensure consistency through its Brand Kit feature. 

You can use Canva for free, but the pro version gives you access to exclusive features like 1TB of cloud storage, over 20 AI tools, and over 100 million visual elements. The pro subscription costs $55 annually. 

9. Create and Sell AI-Generated Artwork 

With generative AI, working on one art piece for weeks or even months is now a thing of the past. You can create exquisite pieces within minutes using AI tools like Midjourney. 

Midjourney aims to explore humans’ imaginative side by bringing it to life in the form of art. 

All you have to do is submit a textual description of what you need, and the AI tool will generate an exact match. You can then print the images to make artwork or stickers. 

Alternatively, consider venturing into print-on-demand with AI to make extra cash. POD involves creating and marketing designs and then printing them on products when a customer orders. 

You can leverage AI to bring complex designs to life. Also, you can create many images within a short time, increasing your product range and overall income. 

The advantage of POD is that you don’t need to store inventory because items are manufactured on demand. Simply partner with a supplier like Printify, and you’ll be good to go. 

10. Start a Faceless YouTube Channel 

YouTube has over 2.49 billion monthly viewers, making it one of the most profitable social platforms. 

If you’re interested in carving out a niche and making a side income from YouTube anonymously, you can use AI to generate faceless videos. 

You can also use AI tools like ChatGPT to choose a niche if you’re unsure which one to delve into. 

Simply prompt it to give you as many profitable niche ideas as you like. Ensure that you specify your goals to receive relevant ideas. 

Once you have a list of possible niches, conduct market research and analyze trends to determine the best direction based on your financial goals. 

From there, create your YouTube account and design your channel’s theme using Canva. The next step is leveraging AI platforms to generate and edit your videos. 

Here are some valuable options:

• Rytr: This tool lets you generate and create scripts for your videos for $9 monthly.
• Invideo: This AI tool generates a video with visuals, scripts, voiceover, subtitles, and music for $20 monthly. 
• Pictory: This AI tool also generates a video from your script for a monthly fee of $19.
• TubeBuddy: Charges $2.25 per month.

11. Provide AI Consulting Services  

While it has been around for several years now, artificial intelligence remains foreign to many businesses and individuals, hence the need for AI consultants. 

Your job as an AI consultant would be helping businesses incorporate AI into their daily operations in a bid to increase output and drive sales. 

Make no mistake. It’s not about knowing and throwing AI jargon around, but rather more about understanding your client’s pain points and helping them find tools that cater to them.

For instance, a retail business may need AI for inventory management, price adjustments, and responding to customer inquiries. 

On the other hand, a healthcare provider may need AI to schedule appointments with patients, diagnose conditions, and generate personalized treatment plans. 

The process also doesn’t stop at recommending AI tools to your clients. You may need to help them develop step-by-step implementation strategies and stay on for a while to monitor progress.

Start by educating yourself on AI, including complements and alternatives. Then, create a website and optimize it for SEO.  

After establishing a website that explains the services you offer, consider identifying clients who need AI in their businesses and sending them cold pitches via email. 

You can also find such gigs on Indeed and LinkedIn. 

Tips for Making Money With AI 

Here are some valuable tips for making money using AI:

• The complex tasks are the most profitable: More often than not, the more challenging tasks often pay more than the easier ones. Prioritize complex tasks to maximize your income. 
• Specialize: AI is a broad subject, and most tools can perform a variety of tasks. Specializing in a particular field, such as healthcare, establishes your brand as a go-to consultancy.
• Stay up-to-date: AI content and tools receive updates daily. Therefore, it’s crucial to stay on top of things to remain relevant in your field. Follow recent AI technologies online or attend webinars to stay up-to-date.  
• Develop complementary skills: Being an AI guru isn’t enough to keep you successful in the field. Complementary skills like good communication and exceptional customer service dictate your relationships with clients and, therefore, your business’s success. 
• Obtain certifications: While getting certifications isn’t necessary for success, it’s a fantastic way to enhance your credibility and inspire confidence in your clients. 

Extra Reading – How To Make Money With a 3D Printer

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can I Use AI To Make Money?

Absolutely! Making money with AI is possible if you’re conversant with the tools available. You can use AI to automate your business and increase output. 

Alternatively, you can make money by teaching others about AI or providing AI consulting services. 

Here are some business ideas in which incorporating AI may lead to success:

• Graphic design 
• Social media management 
• Freelance writing 
• Video editing
• Affiliate marketing 

Can You Invest Using AI?

Investing using AI is advantageous as it helps you make better decisions after careful analysis, which humans may overlook. 

AI tools in investing ensure better risk management and portfolio diversification and offer predictive analytics to help you choose the right investment vehicles. 

However, the debut of AI in investment doesn’t eliminate the need for financial advisors. For optimum results, utilize the advice of financial experts in conjunction with AI. 

How Can I Generate Passive Income Through AI?

Here are some ways to generate passive income through AI:

• Create online courses on AI
• Offer AI consulting services 
• Create and sell AI-generated digital products like images 
• Incorporate AI in affiliate marketing 

Is It Legal To Use AI?

Yes, using AI is legal. However, you must comply with specific rules and regulations to avoid cybersecurity threats, copyright infringement, and discrimination of certain groups. 

These laws vary by state. Therefore, it’s essential to review them before incorporating AI into your business. 

Final Thoughts 

Making money with AI isn’t a foreign concept. Individuals, brands, and businesses have been incorporating it into their day-to-day activities since its debut. 

However, if you had no idea it’s possible to monetize AI, or perhaps you did but weren’t sure how to go about it, I hope this article sheds some light on the topic.

Whether you’re a graphic designer, YouTuber, or freelance writer, you can indeed leverage AI tools like ChatGPT, DeepL, Botsonic, and Tidio to increase output and income. 

Ensure to conduct research on different tools before committing to one. Also, review state laws on the use of AI in businesses. 

Lastly, specialize and stay up-to-date to establish your brand and remain relevant in your field.