How to Make Money with AI — Real Cases and Proven Methods

Case: A resident of Portugal launched an English-language YouTube channel focused on short videos about animals. Videos are entirely created using AI: ChatGPT generates the text, images are selected via an image generator, editing is done in CapCut, and voice-over is through ElevenLabs. The author publishes 3–4 videos per week, and in the first two months gained 1,200 subscribers and over 100,000 views.

How they earn: YouTube monetization is enabled after 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. The channel is already approved, and initial income comes from ads.

Why it works: high publishing frequency, evergreen topics, neutral delivery without a face or personal voice.

Case: An illustrator from Poland uses Midjourney to generate images in cyberpunk and art deco styles. He refines them in Photoshop and uploads to Adobe Stock and Creative Fabrica. Covers for ebooks and presentation backgrounds are especially popular.

How they earn: each file can bring $0.25–$2 per download. One successful background — 300+ downloads a year. The illustrator created over 700 works, with about 150 bringing regular income.

What helps: choosing the right topics (business, tech, space), keywords, meeting stock platform requirements.

Case: A young couple from Indonesia created an English-language website with software reviews for freelancers. All texts are written using GPT, and the authors focus on selections like “Top 5 video editing apps,” adding affiliate links to referral-paying sites.

How they earn: they receive a percentage from clicks and sign-ups through the links. In the first six months, the blog earned $1,800 with $300 invested (domain, hosting, AI tools).

Features: the site doesn’t need constant updates, articles are long-lasting, and earnings are nearly passive.

Case: A student from Germany wrote a children's book about a penguin and his robot friend. He used ChatGPT for the storyline and dialogues, and Midjourney for illustrations. The book has 30 illustrated pages and is sold on Amazon in digital and print formats.

Income: 70 copies sold in the first month (averaging $2.5 per book). Later, he translated the book into French and Spanish to expand reach.

Success formula: simple structure, bright illustrations, universal plot, good design.

Case: A Telegram channel creator publishes AI-generated horoscopes, tips, and daily entertainment cards. Content is made using ChatGPT and DALL·E. Free samples are available, full access is subscription-based (€3/month).

Audience: 2,000+ subscribers, with over 150 paying monthly.

Advantage: high automation — content is prepared in 2–3 hours a week.

Case: A freelancer from Spain publishes step-by-step guides on Gumroad for using neural networks to create covers, edit photos, and write email campaigns. Courses are short — 15 to 60 minutes — with examples and templates.

Income: 1,000+ sales in 3 months, average price — $9, average conversion rate — 3.7%. Main traffic sources — YouTube Shorts and Twitter.

Key point: show results and benefits, not just “how to use AI.”

Case: A small team in the Czech Republic offers a service: generating personalized greetings (videos, cards, poems) from templates based on recipient descriptions. Users fill out a form with interests and receive a PDF or video clip created in 10–15 minutes.

Price: €7–15 per order. GPT, Midjourney, and voice synthesizers are used.

Main factors: personalization and speed. Ideal for holidays and seasonal events (Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc.)