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DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, and Midjourney are just a few applications of an emerging technology called AI photo or image generation. While many make AI photos from these platforms for fun, is there a more lucrative prospect for these creations? 

You can use AI photo generators to make money by starting an online shop for creating merchandise, custom services, and advertising. You could also use them to launch a blog, vlog, or sell creative AI images. Transforming AI photos into book covers is also an option. 

The applications of AI or artificial intelligence are only beginning. As young as they are, we can take advantage of them already and monetize them, as you’ll learn through this article.  

1. Start an Online Shop 

The convenience of the internet has made online markets boom in the past few decades. Unlike before, when consumers spent a lot of time fighting the crowds in physical stores, purchases can now be made from home with just a few clicks. 

Now is the best time to join this bustling marketplace. An online shop is one of the most dependable and active ways to generate income regularly, and managing it can also be made easier with AI photo generators. 

There are two ways you can use AI photo generators to manage your online shop: 

  • Use them to create merchandise
  • Use them to produce promotional material 

I’ll discuss these in more detail below:

Use AI Photos To Create Merchandise

There are many routes you can go with online selling. You can resell items, which is more convenient but less lucrative. The better alternative is to sell original products or merchandise, which is more challenging but often more profitable. 

However, a significant challenge that comes with making original products is creativity. How do you set your items apart from others? You can use AI photo generators to do so. 

Instead of spending time designing from scratch, you can feed AI generators with prompts. You can use the generated photos as they are, or tweak them a bit until you can use them for your merchandise. It’s fast, convenient, and cheap, and you can achieve a return on your investment much faster. 

Once you have your AI photos, you can apply them to these items to make original merchandise:

  • T-shirts
  • Mugs
  • Posters 
  • Phone cases 
  • Tote bags 

However, your merchandise does not have to be solely physical items, and you can also sell digital products such as: 

  • Phone backgrounds
  • Laptop backgrounds
  • Tablet/iPad backgrounds
  • Social media templates 
  • Presentation templates 
  • Image libraries 

An easy-to-use AI image generator is ZMO ImgCreater.ai. It only needs a few words, and voila! You have fresh and original art for your merchandise. 

Moreover, you can choose whatever style you like, such as 3D, free-form, anime, illustration, or realistic. Whichever category you choose, there are various options for fine-tuning. For instance, if you choose the 3D character style, you can select Pixar or Zootopia styles.

Certain styles are available for free at ZMO IMGCREATOR. However, you can access various types and options if you opt for the affordable premium plan.   

Use AI Photos for Custom Services 

You can also use AI photo generators if you’re offering custom services. For example, if you provide social media management services, you can use AI photos for posting on digital platforms. 

If you have customers who want specific designs for their shirts or clothes, use their ideas as prompts for AI generators. Then, present a portfolio of produced images so they can select their final design.  

You don’t always have to use the AI images as they are produced. You can tweak them using other tools, like the ZMO Remover. 

The ZMO Remover is also an AI application. However, instead of making something new, it takes in ready images and lets you remove elements you don’t want. Thus, if your AI generator produces a detail you don’t want, it’s easy to erase that with this application. 

Unlike many remover tools, the ZMO Remover is free to use! You can upload any image you like, not just AI photos. 

Use AI Photos for Advertisements 

If you’re planning to set up a fashion store, you’ll know there are things to do before you can launch your products successfully. An example is needing to design and produce the garments. 

After this, you need to plan a fashion photoshoot to showcase your products. This involves hiring models, photographers, studio space, and more, which can be costly and time-consuming. 

But don’t be discouraged! You can bypass all this using a new AI photo generator, the ZMO AI Fashion. With this application, you don’t need models, photographers, and whatnot. You just need the clothes and your camera; the software will do everything else. 

In a short time, you’ll have pictures of unique models wearing your creations, and it’s at least 10 times more efficient than planning photoshoots and hiring people. Then, you can readily use the produced images for advertising your products. 

2. Launch a Blog 

Not everyone can start and manage an online shop, and that’s valid. But there are other ways to use AI photo generators to make money, and blogging might be right up your alley if you’re an avid and talented writer. 

A blog is a website where you can post written content. There are personal blogs where you update anything interesting about your life, like an achievement or a recent travel adventure. 

You can also do a food blog. In this space, you can upload favorite recipes, share food and restaurant experiences, and write about anything related to food. 

How to Earn Through Blogging 

Many people follow blogs, which allow the owners to generate money. Blogs are monetized through these methods:

  • Ads. Online sellers or companies can post advertisements on your blog, and they’ll pay you for it. 
  • Affiliate marketing. You can recommend products on your blog, and you earn a commission for every item sold from your endorsement. 
  • Selling products. You can combine blogging and online selling in one platform. You can either directly sell through the website or direct readers to your online shop. 
  • Subscriptions. If you have consistent and dedicated readers, you can impose a subscription. Non-payers can access limited content only, or payers get certain perks, such as shop vouchers for your online store. 
  • Courses. If you are teaching through your blog, you can impose subscriptions. For instance, specific lessons or videos are available only after payment. 

You can also use your blog as a portfolio when applying for writing jobs. It establishes credibility, so it’s easier for you to get stable writing employment. 

How To Use AI Photo Generators for Blogging

Most of the work involved with blogging is writing, content ideation, and web design, making it suitable for avid and talented writers. 

However, you can’t post plain words. You need to insert images now and then to keep the reader hooked, especially if it’s a long blog post. This is where AI photo generators come in. 

AI photos for blogs are convenient for those who don’t know how to take original pictures or don’t have the time to do so. It’s also cheaper than buying stock photos. 

Websites for Blogging 

If you want to become a blogger, these are some websites or platforms you can start with: 

  • WordPress (use this to make your own website)
  • Medium
  • Vocal.media
  • Simily.co
  • Substack 

3. Sell Creative Prints and Stock Images 

If you love working with visual content, you might find it fun (and lucrative) to sell your AI-generated photos as prints or stock images. 

Is It Legal To Use AI Photos for Commercial Purposes?

Before you do anything else, ensure that you are not violating any laws or contracts by selling prints or stock photos of the AI-generated material. In many countries, like the United States, it’s allowed, but it’s best to check your nation’s laws. 

Secondly, check the company or AI photo generator. Most allow the use of the generated photos for commercial purposes. 

However, even if you have commercial rights, you often can’t copyright the AI-generated images. There may also be a clause where the AI generator company gets a non-exclusive license to your photos. They can, therefore, put it out to the public, who can use the images as they want. 

Selling AI-Generated Photos As Stock Photos

Stock photos are licensed photographs people often purchase to use. You can try selling your AI images to stock photo companies. 

However, many have imposed policies against AI images, so check first before submitting an entry. Also, many AI photos are too small for the minimum dimensions required for stock photos. 

Usually, you’ll be paid in percentages. So, if your stock photo is up for $10, you can get 10% to 30% of that, depending on the company policy. Some platforms might give bonuses if there is an incredible amount of downloads for your stock photo. 

Selling AI-Generated Photos As Prints

You can sell your AI art as physical prints, such as canvases, physical paintings, printed photos, and more. People can purchase them through your online store. 

Another way is to sell digital prints. Upload the photos on a website that allows this, and you get to earn with every download or purchase. 

These are sites you can sell your prints: 

  • Gelato
  • Printify 
  • Redbubble
  • StickerApp
  • TeeSpring
  • Etsy 
  • Zazzle 
  • Threadless 

4. Transform AI Photos Into Book Covers

If you plan to publish a book or mainly earn money by publishing books, you’ll know that book cover art is often needed. Such art is traditionally provided by an illustrator, who gets royalties. This means that you pay them for the work, and for every book you sell, they get a part, too. 

While it may seem fair, not all authors want that. However, not all are creative enough or have the time to make their own art. Instead of hiring others, you can use AI-generated photos as book covers. 

This doesn’t actively make you money, but it saves you money before and after selling books. You don’t have to pay illustrators nor share profit with them, leaving you with more gain, especially in the long run.  

5. Create a Vlog 

Vlogs are blogs but in video form. With the boom of platforms like YouTube and Tiktok, video content creation or vlogging is a more lucrative business than ever. It is also a popular springboard to fame. 

How To Earn Through Vlogging 

So, how do uploaded videos even earn money in the first place? 

Here’s how:

  • Subscribers. With YouTube, vlogging channels need a certain number of subscribers before they can monetize their videos. There may also be a minimum watch time. 
  • Views/watches. On many streaming platforms, a certain number of views earn a monetary incentive. For YouTube, such earnings are tied to your income from allowing Google ads to play.  
  • Ads. Google has an AdSense program that pays you if you allow ads to play between your videos. You can earn $0.10 to $0.30 per 1000 views on YouTube, although the money you’ll get will be less than expected. That’s because Google will still take its cut from the total amount earned. 
  • Affiliate marketing. You can form agreements with external companies where you’ll endorse their product for a certain amount. They can either be a sponsor or partner for your video. 
  • Sell your own products. You can endorse your online shop or products on your vlogs. Demonstrate their perks and effectiveness, and then direct your viewers through links embedded in the video or description. 
  • Courses. If you teach skills through vlogging, you can sell them as courses so viewers cannot access the next lessons without payment. 

How To Use AI Photo Generators for Vlogging

To use AI photo generators for vlogging, make them the focus or niche of your videos. You can react to or criticize the various AI-generated images available on various applications or websites. 

You can also teach people how to use AI photo generators through vlogging. Many people still underestimate the advantages that AI generators have to offer. Through your teaching or explainer videos, you can show them just how practical these applications can be.

Websites for Vlogging  

There are many platforms wherein you can begin your vlogging journey: 

  • YouTube 
  • Facebook
  • Instagram 
  • Twitch 
  • Tiktok
  • Vimeo 
  • Daily Motion
  • Patreon 
  • Snapchat

If you don’t want AI photo generation to be the center of your vlog, you can also use AI-generated photos as inserts in your vlog. In such cases, they can also serve as a background. 

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