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As AI transforms industries, learn more about the tools you can use to make money using AI, and the ways you can apply AI in your business.
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Artificial intelligence has become an essential tool in many industries. Generative AI completes repetitive tasks like answering customer questions, while the latest AI tools perform complex processes like creating product schematics and writing software. These advancements make AI a great opportunity for making money online.
The best part: You don’t need access to expensive AI technology to generate income. You can launch an AI-powered business and make money online with a commercially available application like Google Gemini or ChatGPT.
Here’s an overview of AI business ideas and artificial intelligence tools, and tips on how to make money using AI.
Before diving into money-making opportunities, let’s clarify what we mean by AI. Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems designed to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. Like the human brain, an AI tool typically can learn from experience (also known as its “training”), adapt to changes, and improve over time.
Today’s AI landscape includes:
The speed at which artificial intelligence has developed has allowed it to permeate countless industries, from writing to data analytics. Market trends have produced a surge in AI applications throughout the economy, making it easier than ever to find ways to make money using AI. In fact, Statista predicts that the AI market size will reach $826 billion by 2030.
Here are a few ideas to explore if you’re looking to monetize AI.
AI is revolutionizing online selling, making it easier than ever to launch and scale an ecommerce business. Gone are the days when you needed technical expertise or a big budget to create a professional online store. Today’s AI-powered ecommerce platforms handle everything from store design to product descriptions, letting you focus on what matters: building a brand that connects with customers.
Some entrepreneurs are making thousands of dollars monthly by combining AI with smart product selection and targeted marketing. According to SellersCommerce, AI is expected to add $8.65 billion to the ecommerce industry in 2025, meaning more opportunities for savvy business owners. The key is using AI to handle the heavy lifting while you bring your unique vision and customer knowledge to the table.
For example, you can use Shopify’s AI store builder to create a free store design in minutes. Enter a quick description of your business or products to generate custom themes with a unique look tailored for your industry. Try any theme and customize them further to suit your needs.
Build an online store with AI
Create a website in minutes with the AI store builder. Describe your brand or products to generate a free custom theme that fits your idea.
AI tools can write the code that powers many types of software applications. This saves time and human power, cutting out the tedious task of drafting lines of code. You could work as a freelance coder and software developer, using AI coding tools to create programs for clients.
The software you create with AI can also incorporate AI models. For instance, you could use AI to create automated bookkeeping software that uses machine learning algorithms to process ledger entries and generate financial reports.
Embracing AI data analytics services includes the use of deep learning, natural language processing (NLP,) and sometimes computer vision (depending on the nature of the data and the insights sought). You can leverage AI technologies to gain insights, optimize processes, produce data visualization, and create new industry opportunities.
Many businesses pay for actionable information that can drive decision-making. Some of the leading AI data analytics products include RapidMiner, DataRobot, and Domino.
Recommended reading: Top AI Statistics and Artificial Intelligence Trends
There is ample market demand for customer service AI chatbots. Unlike human representatives, powerful AI chatbots can generate thousands of replies per minute, letting you serve customers online with great efficiency.
Create and provide AI chatbots or virtual assistants to businesses looking to enhance their customer service operations. You can make money with AI by personalizing your chatbots to automate responses and improve customer satisfaction on clients’ websites or platforms.
Thanks to NLP, AI writing tools can specialize in content creation that mimics human syntax with impressive precision. For example, freelance writers can use AI writing tools to generate ideas and write faster than they could unassisted. With AI-powered content generation, it streamlines the creative process, which opens up their bandwidth to offer writing services to more freelance clients, leading to higher pay without much additional effort.
In today’s business landscape, where AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, contribute to content creation, the role of an editor becomes crucial to ensure content quality, coherence, and alignment with brand values. That means, even if you don’t use AI applications for content creation, you could make money with AI by becoming an editor of AI content—offering a human touch to the high-volume output of AI tools.
Many AI-powered tools can produce AI-generated art for a variety of purposes. For example, you can use AI image generators for digital artwork like corporate logos, web design, t-shirt graphics, and more. Use a powerful tool like Midjourney or DALL-E to speed up the process of creating digital art for your clients. Once they sign off on a concept, you can use your editing skills to customize and perfect the AI-generated artwork.
Typically, you only need to prompt the AI art generator with a text description of your design idea, and the tool can create images based on your words. You can also use an AI-assisted design tool like Adobe Sensei or Canva to develop your visual concepts.
AI tools can design and build websites with remarkable speed. Utilizing AI tools, you can create a custom website that aligns with your objectives, like an ecommerce site or photography portfolio. This might mean building sites for clients or designing your own website to represent your business.
AI tools can now cut and edit videos based on a series of written inputs. AI video editing software like PictoryAI and Animoto works on everything from low-budget YouTube videos to professional films, TV shows, and commercials.
If you have foundational skills in video editing, incorporating AI tools can enhance your efficiency, helping you expedite the editing process. This increase in productivity can help you accommodate more clients. While a human editor’s oversight remains valuable, machine learning advancements have enabled software to generate AI video content with reduced need for manual intervention.
There are AI tools to handle nearly every aspect of digital marketing and even help you manage social media brands. You can integrate AI solutions that aid in content creation, schedule paid advertising content (through a combination of data analysis, predictive analytics, and automation), write blog posts, optimize sites for search engines, draft sponsored social media posts, and help with conversion rate optimization.
Many AI-powered marketing campaigns start with a set of human-crafted digital marketing materials. From there, AI tools can create and disseminate more content to help promote your clients or sell products and services thanks to AI content creation.
Recommended reading: How To Use AI for Sales, Plus 8 Effective AI Sales Tools
Make money with AI tools by getting into the affiliate marketing game. As an AI-powered affiliate marketer, you can generate income by promoting other companies’ products or services and earning commission. AI tools can help you set up an affiliate marketing website in part by observing search trends to figure out what products are worth featuring. Once it’s up and running, an affiliate marketing website can be a great side hustle, bringing in passive income while you focus on other projects.
Recommended reading: AI Affiliate Marketing: How To Earn with Artificial Intelligence
Large language models (LLMs) have a deep understanding of many languages, making them useful as translation tools. If you’re multilingual, you can offer AI translation and localization services.
When you start an AI-assisted translation service, the AI translation tools produce a basic translation. Then you review the machine’s output, checking for accuracy and syntax before delivering to clients.
Financial analysts now use AI for predictive modeling. This could involve building AI algorithms for stock market predictions, risk assessment, or fraud detection in financial transactions. Learn more about these data analysis applications by checking out the existing AI finance software in this space, including Kensho, H2O Driverless AI, and Palantir Foundry.
Using AI, you can create online courses, training programs, and workshops. Use AI to create an outline for a course and flesh it out with unique content, relying on your expertise to finesse the AI’s output and tailor it to your target audience. On a business-to-consumer (B2C) basis, these courses can cater to individuals looking to upskill; on a business-to-business (B2B) basis, they could serve businesses looking to educate employees about their industry or buyer personas.
Develop custom AI solutions for automating the hiring process, including résumé screening, candidate matching, and interviews. This can save HR departments time and resources. Many of the nation’s leading job recruitment platforms already use AI-powered software to sort through applicants. Consider building specialized AI tools for niche businesses looking to hire rare skill sets.
AI-powered cybersecurity solutions help businesses detect threats and anomalies and monitor for these in real time. With cyberattacks on the rise, businesses are willing to invest in advanced security measures.
If you enter this field, your target audience likely will be companies storing large troves of customer data. For example, you would work to protect sensitive financial data that would have significant consequences if compromised.
Inventory management is a complex process that AI tools can simplify and be used for to help you save time. With AI-powered software, you can track the movement of products through a supply chain, predict stocking needs based on customer behavior, and update inventory records as products are sold and restocked.
As a digital entrepreneur, you can use an AI-powered all-in-one inventory management solution. Or, you can make more money by concentrating on a specific niche like warehousing or shipping logistics.
AI applications can now help with precision agriculture, crop monitoring, and yield prediction. These solutions can help farmers optimize their operations and improve crop yields. If you work in agriculture, you can join the farmers, seed producers, and resource managers who already make money with AI tools while improving food production.
According to a 2024 McKinsey & Company survey, 53% of respondents saw more than a 5% increase in revenue when leveraging AI tools for supply chain and inventory management. Use AI to perform tasks like optimizing inventory management systems, organizing routes and suppliers, performing quality control, predicting and managing risks, and forecasting demand.
With hundreds of AI tools available, choosing the right ones for your business is key. Here are some of the most popular AI applications, and their main use cases:
When selecting AI tools, consider these factors:
Remember that the most expensive tool isn’t always the best fit. Start with a free trial when available, and focus on tools that solve your specific business challenges rather than those with the most features.
Now that you’re familiar with how to use AI across a variety of industries, here are a few quick tips to consider as you get started.
Recommended reading: Best Artificial Intelligence Apps for a Range of Uses
One of the most common questions about AI-powered businesses is: How much can I actually earn? While earnings will vary widely based on your skills, time investment, and business model, here’s a realistic breakdown.
For specialized AI roles, Glassdoor’s salary data shows that AI/ML engineers earn an average of $170,768 per year in the United States, with a base salary of $125,436 plus additional compensation. Similarly, Machine learning engineers earn an average of $154,676 annually.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, AI data scientists earn a median annual wage of $112,590 as of May 2024. Employment in this field is projected to grow 36% from 2023 to 2033—much faster than average.
These figures represent full-time employment, but they provide a benchmark for what clients might expect to pay for specialized AI expertise.
According to a 2024 Upwork report, data science and analytics is one of the fastest-growing work categories, with AI modeling and machine learning skills in particularly high demand.
The Robert Half 2025 Technology Salary Guide confirms AI and machine learning skills are among the most sought-after technical capabilities, with 38% of employers actively seeking these skills—creating significant opportunities for freelancers and consultants in this space.
Beyond freelancing, entrepreneurs are building scalable AI-powered businesses. The key factors that influence your earning potential include:
Remember, building a successful AI business takes time. Many entrepreneurs start with side projects while maintaining other income sources, gradually scaling as they gain expertise and clients.
If you’re new to AI and excited about its potential, here’s a practical roadmap to help you get started without feeling overwhelmed:
Start by understanding AI fundamentals and capabilities. You don’t need to become a technical expert, but you should understand:
Resources like DataCamp’s AI learning guide can help you build this foundation quickly.
Begin experimenting with user-friendly AI tools that don’t require technical expertise, like:
Focus on understanding what these tools can and can’t do well, and how they might fit into your workflow or business model.
Based on your skills, interests, and market research, choose a specific direction:
The best opportunities often lie at the intersection of your unique skills and emerging AI capabilities.
Start small with a focused offering that delivers clear value:
The final step is to get your offering in front of real customers:
Remember that successful AI entrepreneurs rarely get everything right on the first try. The key is to start small, learn quickly, and adapt based on real-world feedback.
While many articles promise easy money with AI, the reality is more nuanced. As discussions on entrepreneurship forums reveal, successful AI entrepreneurs don’t typically ask “how to make money” questions—they’re focused on building and scaling their products and services.
So what separates successful AI entrepreneurs from the dreamers? It’s not technical expertise, but strategic application and problem-solving. Research from Precedence Research shows that businesses finding success are applying AI to specific commerce challenges.
Successful approaches typically include:
Here’s how some real companies are leveraging AI to drive measurable results.
Sephora, the global beauty retailer, has implemented an AI-driven personalization strategy that transformed its customer experience.
According to a case study by RedressCompliance, Sephora’s AI system analyzes customer data, including purchase history, browsing behavior, and quiz responses to generate tailored product recommendations.
The store also includes consumer AI features, such as:
Sephora’s approach demonstrates how AI can enhance rather than replace the personal elements of shopping.
Wayfair, the online home goods retailer, faced a significant challenge with its massive catalog of more than 40 million products. Manual tagging was slow and inconsistent, making it difficult for customers to find relevant items.
According to Snorkel AI’s customer story, Wayfair implemented a machine learning solution to automate and improve their product tagging process.
The results:
The system works by analyzing product images and descriptions to automatically tag items with attributes like color, style, material, and function. This enables more precise search results and better product recommendations.
H&M, the global fashion retailer, was struggling with excess inventory and inefficient stock distribution across its stores worldwide. According to a case study by DigitalDefynd, H&M implemented an AI-driven demand forecasting system analyzing multiple data points, including:
The implementation helped H&M reduce excess inventory, decrease markdowns, and optimize its supply chain—getting the right products in the right stores at the right time.
These case studies highlight a crucial insight: successful AI implementation isn’t about replacing human decision-making but enhancing it with data-driven intelligence. The companies seeing the greatest ROI are those that use AI to solve specific business problems while maintaining their unique brand.
While AI offers exciting opportunities, there are several common mistakes that can derail your success. Being aware of these pitfalls can save you time, money, and frustration.
Many entrepreneurs fail because they have unrealistic expectations about what AI can do. According to the Project Management Institute, 70% to 80% of AI projects fail due to misaligned expectations and technical limitations.
Current AI excels at pattern recognition, content generation, and data analysis. It still struggles with common sense reasoning and creative problem-solving that requires human judgment. Before building a business around AI, thoroughly test the technology’s capabilities for your specific use case rather than relying on general claims about AI performance.
AI raises complex questions about copyright, data privacy, transparency, and bias. TechTarget highlights how businesses using AI may face ethical and legal challenges related to data privacy, security, and intellectual property.
Before launching an AI business:
The most common mistake is developing an AI solution and then searching for a problem it might solve. Successful entrepreneurs do the opposite—they identify customer problems first, then determine if and how AI can help solve them.
Start by understanding your target audience’s pain points through market research, surveys, and direct conversations. Only then should you consider which AI tools might help address those needs most effectively.
With AI tools becoming increasingly accessible, offering “AI-powered services” alone isn’t enough.
To avoid becoming a commodity:
While AI can automate many tasks, the human touch remains essential for building trust and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
The most successful AI businesses:
Remember that AI should serve your customers and your business goals—not the other way around. The technology is a means to an end, not the end itself.
As AI technology evolves rapidly, building a sustainable business requires thinking ahead. Here are strategies to ensure your AI-powered venture remains relevant and competitive:
Rather than betting everything on a single AI technology or platform, develop a hybrid approach combining multiple tools and methodologies. According to MIT Sloan Management Review, the most resilient AI implementations combine automated systems with human expertise.
This might mean:
Businesses built around specific AI technologies may become obsolete as those technologies evolve. Instead, focus your business on solving specific customer problems that will persist regardless of technological changes.
For example, rather than marketing yourself as a “GPT specialist,” position your business as helping clients “increase conversion rates through personalized customer experiences.” This need will remain even as the underlying technology changes.
The half-life of AI skills is shorter than in many other fields, with Harvard Business Review research finding technical skills in some fields can become outdated in as little as two and a half years.
Set aside dedicated time each week to:
While AI tools themselves may become commoditized, you can build lasting value through:
By anticipating these changes, you can position your business to adapt quickly rather than being caught off guard.
Considering how far artificial intelligence tools have come in recent years, you have access to a lot of AI solutions to help turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Commerce-driven AI makes it easier than ever for you to start and grow an online store that can compete in your industry.
Whether you’re writing product descriptions or need help turning live chats into checkouts, Shopify Magic supports you 24/7 with the powerful AI tools to help your ecommerce business thrive.
Build an online store with AI
Create a website in minutes with the AI store builder. Describe your brand or products to generate a free custom theme that fits your idea.
You can use AI tools to create optimized websites that bring in ad revenue, offer services like AI-powered accounting and bookkeeping that you advertise on freelance sites, or focus on content creation by using AI-powered tools to generate text and graphics for your clients.
Earning potential with AI can vary widely depending on how you leverage the technology, as well as your skills, time, industry, niche, and product demand. Generally, you can expect to earn monthly income from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, but that also depends on factors like your marketing efforts and profit margins.
Among the AI tools you can use to make money with AI are ChatGPT, Jasper AI, Copy.ai, Writesonic, Rytr, Pictory, Animoto, RapidMiner, DataRobot, and Domino.
Yes, as with any new technology, there are risks associated with making money with AI. You should do your own due diligence when it comes to assessing the risk of using AI-powered platforms for your business, but here are a few considerations: AI algorithms can make mistakes (known as AI hallucinations), cite outdated data, and often lack the ability to cite the sources where it found information. There also could be potential legal risks associated with using AI tools in certain situations, so always consult with your attorney before embarking on a new business venture that utilizes AI technologies.
Yes, you can make money with AI by incorporating ChatGPT into your products or services. For example, you could offer AI chatbot services or automated customer support, or use the AI tool for freelance coding or content creation.
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