AI, language, and the future of work – Digital Journal
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Communication drives connection and connection drives income. That’s the real power of words in today’s digital economy.
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Generation Alpha’s “brain rot” slang is creating real income opportunities (this is one of the worlds of 2024, as Digital Journal reported). From meme consulting to AI language training, young creators are turning viral words like “rizz” and “skibidi” into digital jobs and new forms of communication currency.
There’s been some buzz recently about Gen Alpha brain rot — words like “skibidi,” “rizz,” and “6-7” that confuse adults and drive teachers mad.
What if this digital slang fluency could actually make money?
From TikTok slang to translation gigs, words are driving income in unexpected ways.
According to the firm Notta.ai bilingual professionals fluent in French top the U.S. pay chart with average salaries of $145,836, followed by Italian ($94,640) and German ($87,814). Meanwhile, popular languages like Spanish, English, and Japanese dominate job openings across tech, customer service, and content localisation.
While most adults dismiss Gen Alpha slang as “nonsense,” it’s shaping how younger audiences engage online. Marketers, teachers, and brands are scrambling to keep up. From “delulu” to “skibidi,” these viral codes are rewriting the rules of digital attention, and the people who understand them are getting paid to translate them.
Fei Chen, financial strategist and CEO ofIntellectia.ai, has a deep insight into how communication, AI, and culture converge in the future of work. Chen has explained this to Digital Journal.
“Language is evolving faster than ever, and the smartest earners are those who learn how to translate culture into opportunity. Whether it’s a foreign language or a viral meme, fluency creates value,” says Chen.
Chen looks at the current trends:
Instead of avoiding slang, smart marketers use it strategically by creating captions, ads, and campaigns built around viral words like “slay” or “W” to make brands feel relatable and current. According to digital marketing insights and the rise of AI-native Martech tools, this fusion of human creativity and AI personalization allows brands to connect with each customer as a “segment of one,” driving higher engagement and sales.
“People see ‘Gen Alpha brain rot’ as a problem, but it’s really a new kind of cultural fluency,” Chen explains. “These kids aren’t zoning out because they’re redefining how communication works online. The creators and professionals who can translate that humour and energy into real-world strategy will lead the next wave of creative industries.”
Freelancers are turning Internet humour into income through the growing meme economy, where brands pay experts to translate viral culture into marketing strategy. According to a report, memes have become powerful tools for engagement and brand awareness.
Trend consultants now use data, social listening, and creativity to craft shareable campaigns that feel authentic to Gen Alpha audiences. These specialists, found on platforms like Upwork and Toptal, blend analytics with humour to help companies stay relevant online while earning a steady income through social media marketing projects.
By building videos around trending slang, memes, or sounds and using AI tools to speed up scripting, visuals, and editing, freelancers can quickly produce high-volume, engaging content that taps into cultural moments. The smartest creators monetize through multiple streams: platform ad revenue, brand sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and merchandise featuring viral phrases.
Some even sell digital products or license original characters inspired by these trends. In today’s fast-moving algorithmic landscape, those who blend cultural awareness with AI efficiency are turning “nonsense” slang into real income and sustainable digital careers.
As tech companies race to train smarter chatbots and virtual assistants, AI language trainers and data annotators who understand evolving Gen Alpha slang like “rizz,” “skibidi,” or “fanum tax” are in demand to teach models real-world conversational context.
“Understanding how slang spreads is no longer a fun side note, but rather a competitive skill,” Chen clarifies. “It shapes algorithms, builds communities, and fuels virality. When combined with AI and translation tools, it turns from a local trend into a global opportunity.”
Entrepreneurs are using print-on-demand sites like Printful and Redbubble to sell apparel and accessories featuring viral words such as “Skibidi,” “Gyatt,” and “Rizz,” while others design digital sticker packs, AR filters, and in-game items inspired by meme culture. Top sellers even gamify their creations through Roblox mini-games or customizable merch where fans can add their favourite phrases.
This trend thrives on speed and authenticity; those who capture a meme’s energy before it fades can earn thousands each month through apparel, digital goods, and affiliate campaigns that mirror Gen Alpha’s chaotic, shareable humour.
Journalists and copywriters can earn through explainer pieces that decode slang for parents and brands, or by producing youth-focused articles and video scripts that use the language authentically. Others monetise by crafting branded content that integrates slang naturally, creating humorous commentary on social trends, or analysing the evolution of Gen Alpha’s digital dialect for media and academic outlets.
“Language has always been the ultimate currency,” Chen concludes. “Whether you’re fluent in French or fluent in TikTok, communication drives connection and connection drives income. That’s the real power of words in today’s digital economy.”
Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal’s Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.
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