In today’s rapid surge of AI technology, promotions under the banner of “AI side hustles” are everywhere. From claims of “earning over $10,000 a month with AI writing, no experience needed” to promises of “passive income through AI stores,” these so-called shortcuts to wealth often conceal hidden traps. As the mystique of technology fades, it is time to re-examine the real logic behind this frenzy.
Three Faces of the AI Side Hustle
1. The Cyberization of Fortune-Telling
AI-powered divination is sweeping markets under the guise of “Eastern mystical science.” In South Korea, apps like HelloBot (with Chinese backgrounds) combine astrology, palm reading, and tarot, raking in 4.7 billion KRW in just six months. These apps lure users with free fortune reports, then charge around 140 RMB per month for deeper content. Despite doubts about accuracy, the emotional demand in high-pressure societies makes AI “fortune-tellers” a necessity. On Chinese platforms, novice tarot readers demonstrate AI-assisted readings to attract followers, while comment sections are filled with “paid requests,” creating a closed loop of “emotional economy.”
2. The Industrialization of Creative Services
Lightweight projects like AI avatars and emoji packs are popular entry points. Using tools such as Midjourney, basic avatars sell for 9.9 RMB, while high-end anime-style versions can exceed 99 RMB. Physical items like AI stickers, produced at 0.5–0.9 RMB in Yiwu workshops, are resold online at 10–15 times the cost. Though seemingly easy to start, these projects suffer from severe homogenization, with most trending products lasting less than three months.
3. The Popularization of Professional Services
AI writing and video production appear high-value but often yield disappointing returns. According to BOSS Zhipin, AI writing jobs typically pay 20–50 RMB per article, while AI video projects fetch 100–200 RMB per clip. Leading firms like Ocean Engine (by ByteDance) and Taidong Technology have launched full-chain AI agent systems, but small businesses still depend on freelancers for basic work, exposing the contradiction of “high-barrier hype vs. low-value returns.”
The Gap Between Ideal and Reality
Two structural contradictions lurk beneath the hype:
1. The Trap of Exaggerated Demand
Large enterprises are already building in-house AI systems. Umeng+ AI Agent provides cross-platform insights and creative generation, boosting advertiser ROI by 30%. Sandwich Lab’s Lexi system generates millions in monthly ad strategies for SMEs. With such professionalization, opportunities for amateurs shrink drastically, making “easy $10,000/month” promises pure fantasy.
2. The Illusion of Low Barriers
Low technical thresholds lead to high replaceability. In AI writing, content duplication rates exceed 60%, forcing clients to cut fees. The AI design market is flooded with “cheap logo” demands—most priced at 9.9 RMB. Worse still, poor-quality services are eroding trust: AI design-related negative reviews rose by 47% year-on-year on one major e-commerce platform.
The Logic of the Course-Selling Economy
When tech dividends face commercialization, course-selling emerges as an inevitable business model. This approach exploits human vulnerabilities:
1. The Anxiety Production Line
For youth, it’s the narrative of “AI will replace you.” For older audiences, it’s “AI makes you rich.” Li Yizhou’s team earned 175 million RMB in three years through their course “One Boat, One Lesson,” shifting from “tool tutorials” to “wealth-building stories.” Tactics like “last 3 seats left” create urgency. Low-cost intro courses (49 RMB) are funnels into premium programs (3,980 RMB), creating a vicious cycle of “anxiety → payment → more anxiety.”
2. The Industrialization of Knowledge Packaging
Up to 90% of AI courses are recycled content. Tutorials adapted from open Tsinghua reports, or “7-day crash courses,” are mass-produced at minimal cost. One training company even prioritized short-video marketing experience over technical expertise when recruiting AI instructors—revealing that “traffic is king.”
3. Exploiting Regulatory Gaps
Although platforms like WeChat Video and TikTok are cracking down on AI course sales, false personas (“PhDs from elite universities”) and misleading promises (“guaranteed mastery”) persist. Some Beijing-based institutions use Baidu ads to target older users with slogans like “Even at 45+, you can learn AI,” while their content is no different from free online resources. This exploitation thrives on regulatory gray zones during tech transitions.
The Path Forward: From Speculation to Deep Cultivation
As AI moves from hype to widespread adoption, practitioners must rethink value creation:
1. Depth of Technology Determines Survival
Real opportunities lie in advanced applications. AI video is evolving from basic editing to AIGC + digital avatars. Creators skilled in Stable Diffusion local deployment earn up to 3 times more than average freelancers.
2. Standardization of Services is Key to Breakthroughs
Leading players are shaping standards. An MCN agency structured AI copywriting into basic–professional–custom tiers, raising average order values from 50 RMB to 800 RMB. With ISO certification, they also enhanced service credibility—showing how “tech + service” can reshape the market.
3. Beware of Pseudo-Innovation
Recent pitches like “AI stock trading” or “AI therapy” are mostly old ideas in new packaging. One so-called “AI stock-trading course” claimed to use large models for full automation but was just a repackaged quant strategy, leaving students disappointed. The risk lies in the disconnect between technical application and real demand.
Conclusion
In this AI-driven social transformation, winners will not be the opportunists chasing hype, but the dedicated builders who convert technology into real value. As the course-selling game fades, the AI application market will become more rational and professional. For ordinary people, instead of chasing “wealth codes,” it is wiser to master core AI tools and find a place in this wave of technological democratization. After all, in every era, the true dividends belong to those who are prepared.
References
- BOSS Zhipin job data on AI writing and video services, 2023–2024
- Umeng+ AI Agent ROI report, 2024
- Sandwich Lab Lexi system whitepaper, 2024
- Public reports on Li Yizhou’s “One Boat, One Lesson” revenue model
