AI has become such a controversial topic. It's one of those things where you can look at it extremely positively, but extremely negatively at the same time.

For example, just over a week ago, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy wrote in a memo that the effects of AI in the organization would lead to large-scale layoffs and workforce reductions across the Big Tech giant, as more AI tools are being implemented and integrated across their workflow and systems.

While this certainly spells bad news for employees who feel stuck within these roles, on the flip side, if you’ve been a casualty of an AI-induced layoff, there is still hope, because you can actually make AI work for you, not against you.

You can actually join the opposition, so to speak, and leverage your existing skills while upskilling in AI, to build an AI-powered business as a freelancer.

What’s really interesting is that more employers are outsourcing their work to freelance contractors. With freelance hiring up by 260% in the past two years alone, there’s never been a better time to be laid off, because opportunities are ripe for you to start your own business and pivot your career.

So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to launch your own venture, this is it. You can get started today, upskill relatively quickly, and capitalize on the strong interest that organizations have with implementing AI. Use this to your advantage so that you can effectively create your own job, hire yourself, and get paid for it.

You know what’s even better?

The AI-powered freelance business ideas listed in this article are no-code. This means you don’t need to be a software developer, ML engineer, or have a computer science background for these to work. Each of these ideas has the potential to rake in $100,000 or more a year in client contracts, projects, and consulting work.

Let’s get into the list:

There are two ways of looking at AI consulting. One is where you go deep into the development aspect of implementing AI into organizations. This is where you’ll definitely need to have solid technical background. But the other way of looking at it is a no-code approach. Some no-code options and services you can deliver for AI consulting work include:

AI consulting work can pay as much as $175,000 a project.

Create a monthly swipe file or kit of resources that your target clients can use, which will help them solve a specific problem.

Monthly subscriptions are an excellent business model because they ensure longer retention and help to future-proof your career and finances due to their consistency. Additionally, this business model is perfect because it provides passive income, and it has low overheads. Often, you can start for less than $50, using one or more AI tools and Canva.

They also support you during feast-or-famine cycles when clients from other streams of income may be running dry, and they make it easier for you as a freelancer to accurately predict and plan for your future financially, as well as making larger purchases.

Some examples of AI-powered digital subscriptions you could offer include done-for-you marketing services, like:

You can also combine some services to create higher-tier offers. For example, you could offer a YouTube content calendar, plus a strategy session, plus YouTube scripts.

This business model provides unlimited income and can easily be scales and automated.

Ask ChatGPT to draft a list of learning objectives and an outline for your niche corporate training program (the niche could be corporate wellbeing, sales, leadership training, etc.). Use it to brainstorm for the content and to develop the talking points of your presentation.

Then, use AI tools like Prezi.ai or Canva’s AI features to help you develop the slide deck, and finally, ask ChatGPT to create survey questions relevant to your training, that you can give to attendees at the end of the session.

Corporate trainers make about $87,000 a year, but on the higher end some are known to earn as much as $112,000 according to ZipRecruiter. That being said, if you provide digital products that can sell on their own, like ready-to-sell courses, you can make more money.

Yes, you can build a business with AI. You just need to ensure that the following ingredients are in place:

Yes, AI has unlimited potential, and it’s only restricted by how and where you apply it. Once you spot a pain point, apply your expertise and use AI to back your solution so you can deliver it more efficiently and scale your income at the same time.

No you don’t need coding knowledge. Business ideas like AI consulting focus on strategy and implementation advice.