12 Easy AI Side Gigs to Pad Your Wallet

People in various professions panicked when they saw AI tools doing much of their work in a fraction of the time. While people worried that AI would lead to job losses, it created new jobs across industries. There are numerous AI jobs in the market, but the following 12 can help you earn an extra side income. 

Writing

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If you’re a creative individual with decent knowledge of storytelling, crafting compelling narratives, and a keen eye for identifying quality content, you can start your side hustle with AI-assisted writing. It involves using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Jasper, CopyAI, etc., to create quality blogs, case studies, press releases, product guides, and other content types. While the earning potential depends on the work type, clients, work volume, etc., you can expect to earn approximately $40/hour.   

Generative Art

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As the name suggests, it refers to creating artwork using AI tools and platforms. Every business needs artwork in the form of posters, banners, flyers, and other digital assets that can be used for marketing and branding. You can use tools like Canva, DALL-E, and Adobe Firefly to design beautiful visual art or graphics that businesses need. Numerous freelance jobs for AI artists on Upwork offer anywhere from $100 to $500 and more, depending on the project type, duration, complexity, and skill level. 

AI Consulting

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AI consultants are needed to identify key areas where AI can be implemented, help organizations choose the right AI tools for specific purposes, design and lead effective AI implementation strategies, etc. It can be a great side gig for individuals with good knowledge of various AI technologies (machine learning, deep learning, and others), trends, use cases, and ethical implications. The earning potential of AI consultants depends on their skill level, experience, and various other factors, yet they can expect to earn an average income of $54/hour.       

AI Chatbot Development

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AI chatbot developers are in high demand because businesses want to integrate conversational chatbots into their websites. These chatbots can free up customer agent’s time, improve their productivity, and provide better customer experiences 24*7. Creating AI chatbots is a complex task that requires good knowledge of core technologies like NLP, deep learning, machine learning, NLU, etc., so companies offer top dollar to the right professionals. If you take this side hustle seriously, you can add $79,761 to your annual income.

Editing

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Editing is a tedious task that demands an exceptional knowledge of grammar, sentence structures, writing styles, tones, and a lot more. Blending editing with AI tools has made it straightforward and less time-consuming. If you have a knack for polishing content pieces to make them publish-ready, using AI can help you accelerate your editing process. It can enable you to take more clients and increase your income. You can earn approximately $56,954/year if you have good editing and AI skills.

Prompt Engineering

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Prompt engineering involves creating thoughtfully designed prompts (instructions) to guide AI models in generating the preferred output. If you can create the best prompts or improve the existing ones to optimize the generative AI outputs, prompt engineering can be the perfect side hustle for you. Prompt engineering demands a thorough understanding of machine learning, NLP, and other AI technologies in addition to critical thinking, data analysis, ethics awareness, etc. Skilled prompt engineers can earn as much as $178,114 a year using this skill. 

Audio Engineering

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Audio engineering is demanding, but blending it with AI can ease the work. Audio engineers can use generative AI tools to facilitate various technical and mechanical aspects of the process, such as mixing tracks, manipulating soundtracks, mastering recording, improving sound quality, editing captured audio, etc., faster than before. This speed can help you serve more clients, boosting your income. There are multiple freelance requirements for AI audio engineers on Upwork, each with a different budget. Audio engineers typically earn an average of $32.21/hour, but those with better experience and AI skills can earn more.  

AI Video Creation

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AI video creation refers to creating engaging and captivating videos using AI tools. You can use any text-to-video generation tool to convert your scripts into life-like videos. Companies require these videos for marketing and branding purposes. Skilled AI video creators can earn anywhere from $10-$110/hour, depending on their experience, skills, project complexity, etc.

Digital Product Creation

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One of the best side hustles to earn extra passive income is building digital products like planners, printables, etc., using AI and selling them for automated revenue. You can use tools such as Canva that offer a suite of AI-powered tools to design beautiful planners and list them on Etsy or other marketplaces to start selling. Similar products are sold in the $3.99 to $33/ range, depending on the product’s quality. You can take inspiration from existing digital products and start creating better digital assets using AI.

Faceless YouTube Videos

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AI has made creating YouTube videos easier than before without showing your face. If you have good knowledge in any field, you can create an educational YouTube channel using AI tools like Synthesia, Invideo AI, etc. As you gain subscribers, you can monetize your channel and earn income via ad revenue and sponsorship deals. Beginners can expect to earn $100 a month, which will continue increasing over time.

Social Media Manager

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Almost every business needs a social media manager to build and maintain its online presence. If you have the ability to plan and create content that hooks and engages people, you may consider offering social media management services. You can use AI tools to fasten certain aspects of the process like brainstorming new ideas, creating content calendars, generating endless hooks and reel scripts, etc. The output can be improved using your nuanced understanding of what may and may not work. Social media managers earn $24.52/hour to $33.17/hour. Pay can be higher for more experienced professionals.  

Data Annotation and Labeling

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Data annotation and labeling are crucial processes used to add metadata to raw data so machine learning models can process and analyze the data better. It helps organizations create superior AI models. Since this task demands a complex skill set featuring language proficiency, attention to detail, familiarity with labeling tools, etc., companies pay good money for it. Those proficient in data annotation and labeling can expect to earn approximately $79/hour.  

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