10 AI Businesses You Can Start This Week

By Futurist Thomas Frey

The window of opportunity for artificial intelligence entrepreneurship is wide open. While most people are waiting for the right time, others are already turning simple ideas into six- and seven-figure ventures using off-the-shelf tools that cost less than a monthly phone bill. These businesses don’t require coding, venture capital, or a large team—just initiative, curiosity, and consistent execution.

1) AI Content Foundry for Small Businesses

The Opportunity: Small companies desperately need consistent, affordable content but can’t afford big marketing agencies. Artificial intelligence allows you to produce articles, posts, and campaigns at scale for a fraction of the cost.
What You Do: Write blog posts, social captions, and email newsletters using AI for drafts while you edit and add strategy.
Tools: ChatGPT or Claude ($20–30), Jasper ($49–125), Surfer SEO ($89–219), Canva ($120/year).
Revenue Potential: 10–15 clients at $2,500–5,000/month = $25,000–75,000/month.
Startup Cost: Under $500.

2) AI Headshot and Product Photography Studio

The Opportunity: Businesses and professionals need polished photos for profiles and online stores, but traditional photo shoots are slow and expensive. Artificial intelligence can generate lifelike portraits and images instantly.
What You Do: Create LinkedIn photos, e-commerce product shots, and real-estate visuals with AI tools.
Tools: Midjourney or Leonardo ($10–60), Photoshop ($55), ProfilePicture.ai ($29).
Revenue Potential: 100 clients/month at $49–99 = $5,000–10,000/month.
Startup Cost: Under $200.

3) AI Resume and Career Upgrade Service

The Opportunity: Most resumes never reach a human reviewer, and people are desperate for a way to stand out. AI tools can optimize wording, design, and keywords to ensure hiring managers see them.
What You Do: Rewrite resumes, craft tailored cover letters, and improve LinkedIn profiles.
Tools: ChatGPT or Claude ($20–30), Rezi ($29), ResumeWorded ($49/quarter), Teal ($79/year).
Revenue Potential: 40–60 clients/month at $199–499 = $8,000–20,000/month.
Startup Cost: Under $300.

4) AI Social Media Management Service

The Opportunity: Local businesses know they need social media but lack the time or skill to manage it. AI can automate most of the heavy lifting while you guide strategy.
What You Do: Create visuals, write captions, schedule posts, and track results.
Tools: Buffer or Hootsuite ($6–100), ChatGPT ($20), Canva ($120/year), Predis ($29–249).
Revenue Potential: 10–20 clients at $500–1,500/month = $5,000–30,000/month.
Startup Cost: Under $400.

5) AI Email Marketing Optimization

The Opportunity: Email marketing remains the most profitable digital channel, but few businesses use it effectively. AI can personalize subject lines, segment audiences, and improve engagement automatically.
What You Do: Write, optimize, and manage email campaigns that increase sales.
Tools: Mailchimp or ConvertKit ($20–350), Copy.ai ($49–249), ChatGPT ($20), Instantly ($37–97).
Revenue Potential: 12 clients at $1,000–2,000/month = $12,000–24,000/month.
Startup Cost: Under $500.

6) AI Chatbot Creation for Businesses

The Opportunity: Most companies waste staff time on repetitive customer questions. AI chatbots can handle up to 80 percent of those tasks instantly.
What You Do: Build custom chatbots for websites or stores that answer questions, guide sales, and collect data.
Tools: Chatbase ($19–99), CustomGPT ($89–449), Voiceflow ($40–250), Zapier ($9–299).
Revenue Potential: 10 clients at $3,000 setup + $500/month maintenance = $35,000 initial + $5,000/month recurring.
Startup Cost: Under $600.

7) AI Market Research and Competitive Analysis

The Opportunity: Traditional market research is too slow and expensive for startups. AI can analyze industries, trends, and competitors in hours instead of weeks.
What You Do: Produce research reports, customer sentiment analysis, and strategic insights.
Tools: ChatGPT with browsing ($20), Perplexity Pro ($20), SEMrush ($129–449), Brandwatch (custom).
Revenue Potential: $5,000–10,000 per report, 4–8 reports/month = $20,000–80,000/month.
Startup Cost: Under $800.

8) AI Video Creation and Editing Service

The Opportunity: Businesses need constant video content for social media, but production is expensive. AI video tools can produce studio-quality clips in hours.
What You Do: Create short videos, product demos, and branded ads.
Tools: Runway ($12–76), Descript ($24–50), Synthesia ($22–67), ElevenLabs ($5–330).
Revenue Potential: 10 clients at $2,000/month = $20,000/month.
Startup Cost: Under $500.

9) AI Website Optimization and Search Ranking

The Opportunity: Small businesses can’t compete with expensive agencies for search visibility. AI-driven optimization delivers faster, cheaper, and data-backed results.
What You Do: Audit websites, research keywords, and improve visibility.
Tools: Surfer ($89–219), Ahrefs ($129–449), Screaming Frog ($259/year), ChatGPT ($20).
Revenue Potential: 10 clients at $1,500–3,000/month = $15,000–30,000/month.
Startup Cost: Under $700.

10) AI Business Data Analysis and Reporting

The Opportunity: Every company collects data but few know how to use it. AI turns that data into visual insights and predictions without hiring data scientists.
What You Do: Build dashboards, analyze sales or marketing trends, and produce weekly reports.
Tools: ChatGPT with Advanced Data Analysis ($20), Tableau or Power BI ($15–70/user), Julius ($20).
Revenue Potential: 8 clients at $3,000/month = $24,000/month.
Startup Cost: Under $400.

Final Thoughts

Artificial intelligence has turned what once required corporate budgets into opportunities for solo entrepreneurs. Each business above can be launched within two weeks with less than $800 in tools. The only real barrier is hesitation. Those who act now will own the first wave of case studies and recurring revenue before competition floods in. The next generation of business owners won’t just use AI—they’ll build with it.