AI Is Giving Side Hustlers a Serious Income Boost

New research shows entrepreneurs using AI are launching faster and reporting higher earnings

Artificial intelligence is helping aspiring entrepreneurs turn a side hustle into consistent income.

A new survey of 1,007 side hustlers found that people using AI reported significantly higher monthly earnings than those who did not. According to research conducted by Network Solutions, AI users reported average monthly earnings of $555, compared with $333 for nonusers. At the median, the gap was even wider: $500 versus $250. However, the survey’s authors said AI use and higher earnings are correlated, not proof that the technology itself caused the income difference.

Still, the findings show how quickly AI is becoming part of the entrepreneurial toolkit, particularly for people building businesses outside their traditional 9-to-5. Thirty-three percent of respondents said they probably or definitely would not have started their side hustle without access to the technology. For many, AI helped tackle one of the biggest hurdles at the beginning of a business journey: figuring out where to start.

“For most of the people we surveyed, the hardest part was never the work itself,” the Network Solutions report said. “It was the blank page or not knowing where to begin.”

Once entrepreneurs got moving, AI also helped them save time. Users reported saving an average of nine hours per week, with writing, social media content, branding, logo creation, and market research among the tasks most commonly automated.

The technology also appeared to shorten the runway from idea to launch. Nearly 40% of AI users said they got their businesses on the ground faster than expected, compared with 30% of those who didn’t use AI. The average transition from concept to operation was about one month.

But AI isn’t removing every challenge. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said staying motivated was the hardest task to hand off, while 20% cited finding and retaining customers.

There’s another concern for entrepreneurs building digital businesses: competition. Nearly half—45%—said they worry AI makes it easier for competitors to copy what they do. That concern was greatest among digital-product sellers and content creators.

AI can help shrink the workload, speed up execution, and potentially create more room to earn. But the fundamentals like finding a customer, solving a real problem, and building something people will pay for, still matter. As one entrepreneur quoted in the original report put it: “Don’t reinvent the wheel.” In other words, use the tools. But make sure the business itself makes sense.

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