What Exactly Do You Want?
People hype this topic up a lot, so I’ll go the other direction.
You need to answer one question honestly:
What do you actually want to do as an AI Creator?
Because AI video isn’t one thing.
And depending on your goal, the “right” path looks very different.
From what I’ve seen, there are three PROVEN…. by me. Except the last coz I hate it!
…emphasis on the word “PROVEN”….
Three proven monetization paths in AI video.
Which one is best depends on your circumstances.
Path 1: AI Commercials (Fastest Money)
If you want money as fast as possible, this is the path.
Product launches.
Meta ads.
YouTube ads.
Brand videos.
Advantages
You don’t need views.
You don’t need an audience.
You don’t need connections.
You need one solid sample.
That’s it.
One good sample can lead to paid work.
I’m living proof of that.
If a nobody from the Philippines can build a studio and end up working with brands like Gigabyte, Beardbrand, Pete & Pedro, and others, then this path is clearly viable.
If you want to know how I got started with AI ads, it’s in that link.
The long-term goal here?
Be someone like PJ Accetturo, doing high-level commercial work for brands like Qatar Airways and other world-class enterprises.
This path isn’t glamorous.
But it works.
Path 2: AI Films (Most Creative, Hardest Money)
I’ll be honest. Making ads is not as fun as making short films.
Filmmaking is the most soulful and creative path an AI creator can take.
That’s why most gravitate toward it.
Short films are usually:
- 3 to 10 minutes long
- Narrative-driven
- Live-action, animated, or something entirely new
This is where taste, storytelling, and vision matter most.
But it’s also the hardest path to money.
Views don’t come easy.
Income may never come.. I’m serious!
A lot of talented AI filmmakers are grinding on YouTube right now, myself included, releasing films for free and hoping to get noticed.
Most of the time, it feels like a Hail Mary.
There are AI film awards like Chroma, Project Odyssey, and others popping up all the time.
Winning them is hard. But if you do, things can change dramatically.
You might end up like Henry Daubrez, who went from AI films to becoming a creative director at Google Labs and Flow.
You also usually get free AI software credits just for submitting.
So yes, it might be worth sending over your YouTube catalogue since it won’t cost you.
Still, I don’t recommend quitting your job for this path.
Ironically, if money is your only goal, you’d probably make more doing AI slop than short films.
Path 3: AI Slopper (Fast Cash, No Soul)
This one is uncomfortable to talk about, but it’s real.
High-volume AI content can make serious money.
Especially when it’s repetitive and creatively empty.
Take Rio Films.
If Social Blade is even remotely accurate, his estimated monthly YouTube earnings range from $29,000 to $465,000.
Note: that doesn’t include Instagram or TikTok earnings, which I don’t know how to estimate.
Every day, I have to physically stop myself from pivoting from ads and films to slop.
It’s tempting.
I don’t think this path is long-lasting.
But it can generate quick cash if you can stomach the soullessness.
There’s also risk.
Slop videos get demonetized all the time.
That’s why many creators run multiple accounts in parallel, expecting some to get taken down.
It’s a numbers game.
So Which Path Will You Take?
You don’t need to do all three.
Pick one.
And commit.
Not that you asked for my opinion, but here it is anyway:
If you want money today, go with AI commercials.
If you want your work to feel meaningful, go with AI filmmaking.
Just don’t quit your day job.
As for slop, the world doesn’t need more of it, but I won’t judge you for it either.
Go make your bag, friend!
