7 AI Side Hustles That Will Dominate in 2026 and How To Get Started
Written by
Karen Doyle
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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Is 2026 the year you start a side hustle? Or do you already have one, but are looking to get more out of it?
A study on the gig workforce by Zety found that the vast majority (94%) of gig workers have used artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support their work. Nearly as many (88%) say they think that AI tools have increased the value of their skills and 86% think new kinds of gig opportunities have been created because of AI.
So which AI side hustles will dominate in 2026? To find out, we asked, well, AI. ChatGPT said these are the best side hustles to start or scale and how to get started.
Short-Form Video Production
Create short videos (30 seconds or less) using AI video tools like InVideo, CapCut AI or Veed and post them on social media. Content creators who amass a following can earn recurring revenue from brands for promoting their products.
Repurposing Content
Existing content like blog posts and longer videos can be repurposed into multiple smaller pieces of content. There are agencies that specialize in this that hire freelancers or you can work on a contract basis directly for a brand.
Chatbots and Workflow Automation
Build automated workflows or chatbots for small businesses with coding tools like Botpress or CustomGPT. You can charge to set up the bot in the first place, with an ongoing revenue stream for maintenance.
Digital Marketing and SEO
Research keywords and optimized website copy to improve search rankings with SEO tools like SurferSEO and Jasper. Smaller companies and agencies often hire freelancers for this type of work.
AI Prompts
Training large language models is a big growth opportunity and there’s a lot of freelance work available. You can work for a larger company creating prompts that ‘teach’ AI tools or package and sell your own prompts.
Resume and LinkedIn Optimization
Use AI tools to help job seekers optimize their resume and LinkedIn profile, including keywords that will get them noticed and help them stand out from the crowd. This service will always be needed but is in particular demand when unemployment is high.
Audio Services and Voiceovers
Audiobook narration, video voiceovers and podcast editing are some of the gigs you can get using AI-powered audio tools like Murf or Descript. Brands and content creators need these services.
How To Get Started With an AI Side Hustle
Ready to get started with an AI side hustle? Here are some steps to take.
- Choose your niche. There are a lot of possibilities, but you don’t want to try to do them all. Consider what you like to do and where your experience lies. Your expertise in a specific industry, like finance, technology or creative services, will give you a leg up.
- Learn the tools you’ll need to use. There are a lot of tools out there, so if you don’t like the first one or two you try, don’t give up. Find the one that works for you.
- Build your portfolio. Create some projects you can use to show prospective clients the work you’d like to do.
- Use gigwork platforms to find work. Fivrr, Upwork and Gumroad are good places to start. They pay less than going direct, but they’re good places to start and gain experience.
- Automate and scale. AI tools are all about automating repetitive tasks, so use them, both to create what you’re selling and to manage your side hustle.
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