10 Unexpected Side Gigs That are Becoming Faster and More Profitable with AI

Looking for a little extra money on the side or during the summer when out for summer break? AI has created some nice side gigs that can help boost income during the summer. Resume Now just put out a list of 10 top side gigs which include email inbox cleanup specialists, podcast show notes writers, and even online dating profile consultants that can pay anywhere from $18 an hour to $100 an hour. These jobs are needed in conjunction with AI as human judgement is still needed for many tasks.

Here is the list with a brief review of each:

1. Email Inbox Cleanup Specialist

AI boost: Email inbox cleanup specialists can use AI tools to help categorize large volumes of emails, identify patterns, flag low-priority messages, and draft suggested responses, dramatically reducing the time required to triage an overloaded inbox.
Human value: Human judgment is essential for setting priorities, applying discretion, and handling sensitive or high-stakes communications where context, relationships, and nuance matter.
Pay reality: This service is often hired on an hourly or project basis, with typical freelance rates ranging from approximately $20 to $40 per hour.

2. Podcast Show Notes Writer

AI boost: AI accelerates transcription, summarization, and timestamp creation, allowing writers to produce first drafts of show notes quickly and consistently.
Human value: Human judgment refines tone, ensures accuracy, highlights key insights, optimizes for SEO, and tailors summaries to the show’s audience and brand voice.
Pay reality: A podcast show notes writer is typically paid per episode or project, with effective freelance rates often ranging from approximately $25 to $75 per hour.

3. Knowledge Base/SOP Writer

AI boost: AI helps transform raw notes, recordings, and unstructured information into organized drafts, standard formats, and searchable documentation.
Human value: For a knowledge base/SOP writer, human oversight is required to validate accuracy, clarify processes, and ensure documentation reflects how work actually happens rather than how it is assumed to happen.
Pay reality: This service is commonly contracted on a project or hourly basis, with typical freelance rates ranging from approximately $30 to $70 per hour.

4. Online Dating Profile Consultant

AI boost: AI tools help analyze tone, rewrite bios, generate prompts, and suggest messaging frameworks, allowing online dating profile consultants to work faster and test multiple approaches efficiently.
Human value: Human insight is critical for personalization, emotional intelligence, and translating someone’s personality, goals, and boundaries into an authentic, compelling profile.
Pay reality: This service is often offered as a package or charged hourly, with effective freelance rates typically range from approximately $40 to $100 per hour.

5. Customer Support Knowledge Base Writer

AI boost: AI accelerates the drafting of help articles by summarizing product information, structuring step-by-step guides, and generating first-pass explanations for common issues.
Human value: Human judgment provides accuracy, clarity, and usability, refining content so it aligns with real customer questions, product nuances, and brand voice.
Pay reality: Customer support knowledge base writers are frequently hired on a per-article or hourly basis, with typical freelance rates ranging from approximately $25 to $60 per hour.

6. Online Community Moderator

AI boost: AI helps flag spam, surface potential rule violations, and summarize high-volume discussions, reducing the manual burden of monitoring active communities.
Human value: Human judgment is essential for tone management, conflict resolution, and escalation decisions, especially in sensitive or ambiguous situations.
Pay reality: Online community moderators are often hired for hourly or contract-based coverage, with typical freelance rates ranging from approximately $18 to $35 per hour.

7. Etsy/Marketplace SEO Optimizer

AI boost: AI tools assist with keyword research, title optimization, and tag generation, helping Etsy/Marketplace SEO optimizers identify search trends and listing improvements quickly.
Human value: Human expertise is required to apply platform-specific rules, understand product categories, and ensure listings remain accurate, compliant, and appealing to buyers.
Pay reality: Commonly hired on a per-listing or package basis, with effective freelance rates typically ranging from approximately $20 to $50 per hour.

8. Content Repurposing Specialist

AI boost: AI speeds the transformation of long-form content into shorter formats such as social posts, summaries, scripts, or email copy.
Human value: Human judgment determines what content is worth repurposing, adapts messaging for different audiences, and ensures tone and context remain aligned with brand goals.
Pay reality: Content repurposing specialists are often paid on an hourly or per-project basis, with typical freelance rates ranging from approximately $25 to $60 per hour.

9. Live Chat & Event Support Specialist

AI boost: AI tools help live chat and event support specialists surface common questions, flag duplicate inquiries, and draft suggested responses during live chats, webinars, or virtual events.
Human value: Human oversight is essential for real-time decision-making, tone control, escalation, and managing unexpected or sensitive interactions during live sessions.
Pay reality: This service is typically hired on an hourly basis for short-term or event-based engagements, with freelance rates often ranging from approximately $18 to $30 per hour.

10. Grant Research Assistant

AI boost: AI accelerates the review of grant databases and funding opportunities by summarizing requirements, deadlines, and eligibility criteria.
Human value: Human judgment is needed for grant research assistants to assess fit, prioritize opportunities, and tailor research findings to the mission and capacity of each organization.
Pay reality: This service is commonly contracted on an hourly or project basis, with typical freelance rates ranging from approximately $30 to $60 per hour.