I Tested the Easiest AI Side Hustle for Beginners Over 30 Days

I Tried the Easiest AI Side Hustle for Beginners: My 30-Day Journey

As an AI side hustle for beginners, the world of artificial intelligence presents new opportunities for entrepreneurs and side hustlers. One such opportunity involves generating and selling AI art patterns online, which has been reported to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for some individuals. Intrigued by the potential of this AI side hustle for beginners, I decided to embark on a 30-day journey to explore its feasibility. In this article, I will share my experience with this AI side hustle for beginners, from the generation process to uploading, advertising, and ultimately, the results of my efforts.

We strongly recommend that you check out our guide on how to take advantage of AI in today’s passive income economy.

Choosing the Right AI Art Generator

The first step in this AI side hustle for beginners is to select an AI art generator. I chose to work with Midjourney, a popular tool known for its versatile features and ability to create stunning AI-generated art. To begin, I decided to generate a watercolor eggplant straight from the farm, showcasing the capabilities of the AI tool.

However, the goal of this AI side hustle for beginners is not merely to generate random art pieces but to create seamless patterns that can be repeated and used for various purposes. These AI art patterns can be utilized for scrapbooking, card making, notebook covers, packaging, and even print-on-demand products like phone cases, pillows, and mugs. The versatility of these patterns makes them a potentially lucrative product to sell, as there seems to be a significant demand for them in the market.

Generating Seamless AI Art Patterns

To create a seamless AI art pattern using Midjourney, I simply added the command “–tile” to the end of my prompt. This command ensures that the generated art can be repeated seamlessly, resulting in a continuous pattern. With this technique, I was able to generate an endless array of eggplant patterns, perfect for this AI side hustle for beginners.

Choosing the Right Platform for Selling AI Art Patterns

For this AI side hustle for beginners, I decided to sell my AI art patterns on Etsy, an online marketplace renowned for its focus on arts, crafts, and digital products. Etsy is a popular destination for shoppers seeking patterns, also known as digital paper, making it an ideal platform for this AI side hustle for beginners.

Researching Popular Niches and Keywords

To determine which patterns to sell for this AI side hustle for beginners, I utilized Etsy’s search suggestions and eRank, a free Etsy keyword research tool. By identifying popular niches with relatively low competition, I discovered several promising categories, including specific types of flowers, materials, and food. This research helped guide my pattern generation process and optimize my listings for this AI side hustle for beginners.

Upscaling AI Art Patterns for High-Quality Products

On Etsy, patterns are typically sold as 300 DPI images with a resolution of 3600 by 3600 pixels. However, Midjourney’s maximum output is 72 DPI and 1024 by 1024 pixels, which is insufficient for this AI side hustle for beginners. To overcome this limitation, I used a paid AI image upscaler called Gigapixel AI, which can convert images to 300 DPI and upscale them up to six times the original resolution. Instead of settling for the standard 3600 pixels, I decided to go the extra mile and offer my customers a premium product by upscaling the patterns to 6144 pixels.

Creating Listings on Etsy

With my AI art patterns generated and upscaled, I was ready to create listings on Etsy for this AI side hustle for beginners. There are five essential elements to consider when creating a digital product listing:

Uploading Digital Files
Creating Thumbnail and Preview Images
Setting Prices
Writing Titles and Tags
Crafting Descriptions

Uploading Digital Files

Etsy allows sellers to add up to five digital files per listing. However, since I planned to sell my patterns in packs of eight, I needed to find a workaround. To solve this problem, I uploaded all my AI art patterns into a folder on Google Drive, obtained the link, and placed it in a document along with some branding, a thank you message, and a reminder to leave a 5-star review. I then exported the document as a PDF and uploaded it to Etsy, ensuring that my customers could easily access all eight patterns in each pack.

Creating Thumbnail and Preview Images

Using Photoshop, I designed two templates for my listings. The first template, used for the thumbnail, displays a title and a quick preview of all the patterns included in the listing. The second template provides a full preview of four patterns, with eight patterns per pack. For each listing in this AI side hustle for beginners, I prepared two of these preview images to showcase the variety and quality of the AI art patterns.

Setting Prices

Pricing is a crucial aspect of any AI side hustle for beginners. On Etsy, patterns typically sell for between one and five dollars per pack. While the profit margin can be relatively high (70-90%) due to the low costs associated with generating and selling digital products, it’s essential to consider Etsy’s fees when setting prices.

To determine the optimal pricing for my listings, I used eRank’s profit calculator, taking into account Etsy’s fees and a 50% discount that I planned to apply to all my listings. After careful consideration, I settled on a final sale price of $2.49 per pack, ensuring a balance between affordability for customers and profitability for this AI side hustle for beginners.

Writing Titles and Tags

To optimize my listings for search visibility, I filled both the titles and tags with popular keywords related to digital paper and the specific niches of my AI art patterns. There are several effective methods for generating relevant keywords, including:

Analyzing similar listings
Utilizing Etsy’s search suggestions
Leveraging eRank’s keyword research tools
Employing AI tools like ChatGPT

It’s important to note that while ChatGPT can be a valuable resource for generating keywords, it’s not always perfect. To ensure the best results for this AI side hustle for beginners, it’s crucial to fact-check the suggested keywords using other reliable keyword research tools, such as eRank.

Crafting Descriptions

In the description section of my listings, I included a free ebook that covers best practices for using AI in SEO and keyword research. This resource, provided by HubSpot, offers valuable insights on effectively utilizing AI tools for marketing purposes. The ebook also features a list of the most popular AI tools currently available and an overview of how these tools are being used in marketing today.

By offering this free resource to potential customers, I aimed to provide additional value and establish trust, demonstrating my commitment to helping others succeed in their own AI side hustle for beginners.

Launching the Listings

With all the essential elements in place, I published my listings and officially launched my AI side hustle for beginners. My eggplant patterns were now available for purchase on Etsy, and I eagerly awaited the results of my efforts.

Expanding the Product Line

Over the next week, I focused on expanding my product line, creating over 100 new listings and generating more than 800 individual AI art patterns in total. As I immersed myself in this AI side hustle for beginners, patterns began to consume my thoughts and vision.

To streamline the prompt creation process, I utilized Midjourney’s “/describe” command. By uploading an existing pattern, such as a pattern of oranges, and using the “/describe” command, Midjourney analyzes the pattern and generates four different prompts that can be used to create similar designs. This feature proved to be a tremendous time-saver, eliminating much of the guesswork involved in prompt creation.

The Waiting Game

Despite my efforts, the first two weeks of this AI side hustle for beginners yielded no sales. While it was a positive sign to receive favorites on my listings, I remained focused on the challenge at hand, determined to generate income from my AI art patterns.

Turning to Etsy Ads

As day 15 approached, marking the halfway point of the challenge, I still had not made any sales. Recognizing the need to boost visibility, I decided to invest in Etsy ads, allocating a budget of one dollar per day. Drawing from my previous experience selling AI art prints on Etsy, where ads quickly generated sales, I hoped for similar success in this AI side hustle for beginners.

Unfortunately, luck was not on my side. By day 23, I had yet to make a single sale, despite the ad campaign. The lack of results led me to question various aspects of my listings, from the quality of my patterns to the effectiveness of my thumbnails, titles, tags, and prices.

Reflecting on the Competition

As I pondered the reasons behind the lack of sales, I came to the realization that the competition in the AI art pattern market was fierce. With the increasing accessibility of AI tools like Midjourney, countless individuals were now capable of generating patterns with ease, leading to a saturated market on Etsy.

One potential strategy to combat this competition would be to niche down further, focusing on specific topics or styles to differentiate my offerings. However, even with a more targeted approach, the low prices associated with AI art patterns posed another challenge. With an average selling price of $1 to $5 per pack, generating substantial profits would require a significant volume of sales.

Considering Alternative Strategies

Had I had more time to dedicate to this AI side hustle for beginners, I would have considered evolving my business model to include print-on-demand products featuring my AI art patterns. By creating and selling items such as mugs, I could potentially increase both the number of sales and the profit per sale, overcoming some of the limitations of selling digital patterns alone.

The Final Results

As the 30-day challenge came to a close, it was time to reveal the outcome of my AI side hustle for beginners. In the final week, I managed to sell a total of two AI art pattern packs: one featuring vintage lace patterns and another showcasing Navajo tribal patterns. These sales generated a total revenue of $7.47.

However, when considering the expenses incurred throughout the challenge, the financial results were less than impressive. Midjourney’s one-month subscription cost $31.50, and the Etsy ads campaign amounted to $15 over 15 days. Additionally, Etsy charged various fees, including $0.48 in transaction fees, $0.73 in processing fees, $0.15 in tax on seller fees, and $0.20 per listing in list fees. With 107 listings, the list fees alone totaled $21.40.

In the end, my net income for this AI side hustle for beginners amounted to a loss of $61.79, highlighting the challenges and potential pitfalls of pursuing this particular venture.

Conclusion

My 30-day journey exploring the world of AI art patterns as a side hustle for beginners provided valuable insights and lessons learned. While the process of generating and uploading patterns was relatively simple, thanks to tools like Midjourney and Gigapixel AI, the saturated market and low prices proved to be significant obstacles in achieving profitability.

To succeed in this AI side hustle for beginners, it may be necessary to explore alternative strategies, such as niching down to target specific audiences or expanding the business model to include print-on-demand products. Additionally, investing in marketing and advertising efforts, as well as building a strong reputation through positive reviews, could help differentiate one’s offerings in a crowded marketplace.

Despite the challenges faced during this 30-day experiment, the potential for AI-powered side hustles remains intriguing. As AI technology continues to advance, new opportunities for entrepreneurs and creators will undoubtedly emerge, offering fresh avenues for generating income and building successful ventures.

For those considering embarking on their own AI side hustle for beginners, it is crucial to approach the journey with realistic expectations, a willingness to adapt and evolve, and a commitment to delivering value to customers. By learning from the experiences of others and continuously refining one’s strategies, aspiring AI side hustlers can navigate the challenges and unlock the potential of this exciting and ever-evolving field.

FAQs:

How do you use AI for side hustle?

AI can be used in various ways to create and enhance side hustles. Some popular methods include:

Generating AI art patterns and selling them on platforms like Etsy or Creative Market.
Using AI-powered tools to create designs for print-on-demand products, such as mugs, t-shirts, and phone cases.
Leveraging AI writing assistants to create content for blogs, websites, or social media.
Developing AI-powered chatbots or virtual assistants to offer services or support to customers.
Using AI algorithms to analyze data and provide valuable insights for businesses or individuals.

The key to using AI for a side hustle is to identify a need in the market and determine how AI can help you fill that gap efficiently and effectively.

How are people using AI to make money?

People are using AI to make money in numerous ways, including:

Selling AI-generated art, patterns, or designs on online marketplaces.
Offering AI-powered services, such as content creation, data analysis, or virtual assistance.
Creating and selling AI-powered tools or software that solve specific problems for businesses or individuals.
Using AI to optimize and automate various aspects of their existing businesses, such as marketing, customer support, or inventory management.
Investing in AI-focused companies or startups that show promise for future growth and profitability.

As AI technology continues to advance, new opportunities for monetization will likely emerge, providing even more ways for people to make money using AI.

Which is the best AI tool?

The best AI tool depends on your specific needs and the type of side hustle you want to pursue. Some popular AI tools include:

Midjourney: An AI art generator that creates stunning images and patterns based on text prompts.
ChatGPT: A powerful language model that can assist with content creation, question answering, and general writing tasks.
DALL-E 2: An AI system that creates realistic images and art from textual descriptions.
Lumen5: An AI-powered video creation platform that turns blog posts or scripts into engaging videos.
Grammarly: An AI-powered writing assistant that helps improve grammar, spelling, and overall writing quality.

When choosing an AI tool for your side hustle, consider factors such as ease of use, pricing, features, and compatibility with your existing workflow.

How to decide on a side hustle?

Deciding on a side hustle involves considering several factors, including:

Your skills and interests: Choose a side hustle that aligns with your existing skills, knowledge, and passions to increase your chances of success and enjoyment.
Market demand: Research potential side hustles to determine if there is a demand for the products or services you plan to offer.
Profitability: Evaluate the potential income and expenses associated with the side hustle to ensure it can generate a worthwhile profit.
Time commitment: Consider how much time you can realistically dedicate to your side hustle and choose an option that fits your schedule.
Scalability: Think about whether the side hustle has the potential to grow and expand over time, providing opportunities for increased income and long-term success.

Once you’ve identified a side hustle that meets these criteria, develop a plan to test and validate your idea before committing significant time and resources to the venture.