Best AI Business Ideas to Make Money Right Now

TL;DR

Facebook is one of the most overlooked ways to earn because it pays creators to fill a shortage of good video, and you can republish others' content in foreign languages for a 50/50 revenue split. Other pitched ideas include a browser plugin that flags AI-generated content, a governing body that certifies AI detectors, old-timey photo booths in bars, and gem-mining kiosks in malls.

Transcript

everyone's ignoring Facebook they have 2.1  billion daily active users facebook is paying creators like me 20 cents per thousand views and  it's substantial because they don't have enough good content you go to folks who are generating  content and say "Hey I'm going to publish it for   you in a foreign language and I'm going to put  the revenue 50... Read More

Key Insights

• Facebook is described as the most overlooked money-making platform because it has 2.1 billion daily active users and actively pays creators, since the platform does not have enough good content to satisfy demand.
• Republishing existing creators' videos in foreign languages is a business model where you handle publishing and split the revenue 50/50 with the original creator, requiring only about a $50-a-month account to start.
• AI voice-cloning tools like ElevenLabs make foreign-language content creation cheap, and skilled implementers who set these systems up can command very high daily rates for their expertise.
• A browser plugin that passively detects AI-generated content is a strong opportunity because people can no longer tell whether photos, text, or video online are real, and would pay a monthly fee to have fakes flagged automatically.
• A certification or governing body for AI detectors could charge apps a licensing fee, working like an ISO or SSL-style seal, because authorities often start simply by one person raising their hand and claiming the title.
• Tourist-trap businesses like old-timey photo booths can be tested cheaply in bars or mall kiosks, exploiting the pendulum swing away from instant smartphone photos back toward tangible, nostalgic experiences.
• Gem-mining and gold-panning kiosks work as a low-risk mall business because a cheap bag of dirt with hidden gems entertains kids, feels fair to parents, and is visually magnetic to passersby.
• The core framework across ideas is to take a business that thrives in expensive tourist areas and test it at a fraction of the cost elsewhere, closing quickly and cheaply if a month-to-month kiosk flops.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is Facebook considered an overlooked way to make money with AI?

Facebook is called the most overlooked money-making platform because it has 2.1 billion daily active users and is actively paying creators, at a rate described as roughly 20 cents per thousand views. The host says the payouts are substantial specifically because Facebook does not have enough good content to serve that huge audience, so creators who supply quality video can capture that demand and the revenue that comes with it.

Q: How does the foreign-language content republishing business model work?

The model involves approaching creators who already generate content and offering to publish their videos in a foreign language on their behalf, then splitting the resulting revenue 50/50. AI voice-cloning tools like ElevenLabs make translating and re-voicing the content cheap. The host notes you only need an account costing about $50 a month to be in business, while specialists who implement these systems for others can charge very high daily fees for their expertise.

Q: What is the AI-detection browser plugin idea?

The idea is a browser plugin that sits in your browser and passively watches everything on your screen, flagging anything highly likely to be AI-generated, whether it appears on a website, in your inbox, or eventually in video. Unlike existing apps where you paste text to check it, this one runs automatically and could highlight suspected fakes with a red glow or a meter in the corner. The guest says he would pay a monthly fee for it and jokingly names it 'distrust.'

Q: How could a governing body for AI detection become a business?

The concept is to create an authority that grades and certifies AI-detection apps, charging them a recurring licensing fee to display a trust seal, similar to an SSL or ISO-style badge. The host argues these authorities often start with one person simply declaring themselves the standard-setter. He cites a dentist whose 'voted Florida's best' sign alone drew one customer who then sent many friends and generated substantial business, illustrating the power of claimed authority.

Q: Why are old-timey photo booths a good business opportunity?

Old-timey photo booths are pitched as a comeback trend because people are hungry for tangible, nostalgic experiences that contrast with instant smartphone photos, described as the pendulum swinging the opposite direction. The guest saw crowds lined up for them near a major tourist area and found a bar whose wall was covered with photos customers had taken and donated. Tourist towns host many competing photo-booth shops that persist for years, suggesting they are profitable.

Q: How does the gem-mining or gold-panning kiosk business make money?

The business gives customers a bag of dirt mixed with cheap gems that kids believe are valuable, and they pan for treasure while water filters through, paying roughly $45 for a large bag. No one feels ripped off because the kids are entertained. The host suggests shrinking the tourist-attraction concept into a high-traffic mall kiosk, adding prize mechanics like a gold nugget or gift card in occasional bags, since the activity is visually magnetic to passing families.

Q: What framework do the hosts use to evaluate these business ideas?

Their core framework is to take a business that thrives in expensive tourist-trap areas, like photo booths or gem mining, and test it at a fraction of the cost in ordinary locations such as a bar, a mall kiosk, or a gallery. It might only work as a tourist attraction, but it might also succeed cheaply elsewhere. Because these kiosks are month-to-month, the downside is limited: if it flops, you simply close up and move on.

Q: What was the format of this business idea episode?

The episode is structured as a business idea showdown between the host and his friend Michael Girdley, who both own multiple businesses. Girdley brought a list of business ideas, and the host's challenge was to take each idea and level it up on the spot with no preparation. They keep their own written lists, build on each other's themes rather than competing harshly, and at the end vote on their favorite ideas from everything pitched.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The episode is a business idea showdown where the host and guest Michael Girdley trade startup pitches and level each other's ideas up on the spot with no prep, then vote on their favorites. The tone is playful and collaborative, with the host describing himself as a yes-man who believes any idea can work with the right marketing.

• The standout theme is monetizing content on Facebook, which pays creators because it lacks enough good video for its massive daily audience. A related play is republishing creators' work in foreign languages using AI voice cloning and splitting revenue evenly, a low-cost model that skilled implementers can charge a premium to set up.

• Other pitches include a passive browser plugin that flags AI-generated content across your screen, a governing body that certifies such detectors for a fee, nostalgic photo booths placed in bars, and gem-mining kiosks for malls. A recurring principle is testing proven tourist-trap concepts cheaply in lower-cost locations.