AI has offered something to nearly every industry and market. While most of the influence is positive, from simplifying procedures to introducing next-level automation capabilities, AI has also presented problems that many creators or hustlers haven’t experienced before. In this article, we examine several realities arising from the presence of AI and discuss how to adapt to its increasing usage.
What do we mean by side hustles?
Side hustles can refer to a variety of money-earning activities you perform in addition to your regular job. You could drive an Uber in the evening or freelance for multiple clients.
Even a money-earning app can count as a side hustle. For instance, Rakuten is one of them,
letting you earn back some money after each shopping trip. In another case, JumpTask is a get-paid-to platform, offering rewards for completing various digital tasks (such as watching videos or answering surveys).
Nearly every side hustle can benefit from AI. One instance is using apps that improve route planning. Then, you can deliver goods or pick up passengers quickly by avoiding traffic jams or difficult weather conditions.
Quicker delivery and creation process with AI
If you’re working as a social media manager, marketing specialist, writer, SEO consultant, or a graphic designer, you have likely used AI to expedite your work. Some might use general tools like ChatGPT to perform research, while others can invest in specific AI tools for generating art, content, or analyzing data much more efficiently.
So, while AI doesn’t do the work for you, it is a part of the process (one way or the other). For example, graphic designers can use AI to create mockups of their ideas and have a visual representation of the potential final product.
If you’re building a knowledge base, which includes instructions, user guides, and troubleshooting procedures, an AI chatbot could rely on this material to provide instant replies to clients.
AI as an assistant, not the creator
Ideally, AI shouldn’t replace you, but rather work with you towards a unified goal. Then, it can be a huge help to perform market research or find the necessary resources without having to browse through multiple Google search result pages.
However, AI does have the capability to work in place of you, producing content in seconds that would take hours or days for a real creator.
The threats to creators and freelancers
Budget-conscious companies or brands may opt for a premium AI plan instead of hiring a freelancer. According to Business Insider, the release of ChatGPT in 2022 led to a 2% drop in writing-related jobs on Upwork (a freelancing platform). Similar numbers were reflected after Midjourney entered the market, posing a threat to image designers, editors, and artists.
Lower price for AI content?
The general idea is that if you are getting AI content, it is supposed to be cheaper. To a degree, if you’re getting the same quality, the actual creation process shouldn’t matter. However, since AI is taking ideas, not creating them, its every creation is based on, or copying, something. While human work can also take inspiration from other creators, it’s much more likely to produce more unique and innovative content.
Writing that sounds the same
Popular editing and grammar-checking tools for writers have included AI to improve their processes. People using them can initially consider this addition highly positive, but over time, they may notice that it destroys all attempts to be more creative.
For example, if you use a more colorful collocation, it might immediately suggest you use a more “proper” alternative. Therefore, all writing that passes through such software ends up being stale and lacking much life.
The solution? Simply avoid accepting editing suggestions that do not fix real issues. Personal writing styles shouldn’t be discouraged, but AI doesn’t have the resources and capabilities to nurture them.
Conclusion
People who do not use AI will notice a few disadvantages when it comes to the delivery of their services. Therefore, it is essential to educate yourself on the most popular tools and explore those that can significantly reduce your manual workload. AI assistance may reduce the time required to collect resources, complete the first draft of your article, or create mockups for a graphic design project.
