7 Ways To Make Money With AI Without A Degree In 2025

by · Forbes

You don’t need a computer science or machine learning degree, ex-FAANG status, or Silicon Valley prestige to make money with AI. The AI gold rush is real, it’s happening right now, and this is the perfect time to capitalize on AI and find ways to monetize it uniquely…not through being a copycat of everyone else, but by building and establishing your own stamp in the AI gold rush.

The smartest professionals and freelancers I know are monetizing artificial intelligence strategically--not as a copy-paste with a very slight modification of someone else’s idea, but as a tool to optimize their existing business or to help them launch a new business that amplifies their existing skill set and expertise.

You’ve likely seen and watched countless articles and videos online of influencers and business gurus touting how to make money with AI while barely lifting a finger. This is not one of those articles. This article is here to guide you on how to capitalize on the immense interest in AI and the opportunities and productivity it offers, without compromising on your interests or who you are as a professional. These ideas encourage you to use the skills and knowledge you already have, relevant to your industry, and use AI tools as leverage to multiply your earning potential.

How To Make Money With AI In 2025

Check out these ideas to make money online with AI and see which one fits or resonates most:

  1. Start an AI consultancy to train and advise teams and business leaders on how to effectively implement AI across their organizations.
  2. Consistently share your knowledge about AI on YouTube and gather sponsorships (including other ways of monetizing YouTube using YouTube’s Partner Program).
  3. Share your AI know-how via a paid newsletter (think Substack, Medium, etc.)
  4. Monetize your AI newsletter further by getting sponsorships from AI tool partners, and affiliate links.
  5. Provide digital and social media marketing services, strategy, and campaigns powered by AI insights and analytics. You can focus this on a niche that you already have experience in (for example, if your background is in logistics, you can focus on AI-powered marketing consulting/creating an agency for logistics companies).
  6. Use AI tools like HeyGen and FlexClip to provide AI-powered video editing services, to create a monthly subscription/retainer model of video clips and content for small businesses and thought leaders.
  7. Create and monetize an AI-powered browser extension or app that answers a specific pain point you are already extremely familiar with due to your industry background.

How To Start An AI Business

To get started, here are some steps you should begin taking now:

MORE FOR YOU

  • Undertake and complete an AI course/certification
  • Practice your AI skills in real time
  • Share what you’re up to on LinkedIn and across your social media network
  • Create a freelance profile on a marketplace like Upwork, Fiverr, or Contra
  • Add a LinkedIn Services page so you can be found and contacted by clients actively looking for your solution
  • Build relationships with key decision-makers in your field
  • Gather testimonials and refine and iterate your offer

So, what’s your next step? After reading this article, head straight to 7 Free Generative AI Courses For 2025, and check out other AI certifications in this article, 5 AI Courses That Could Add $30,000 To Your Salary.