How to Future-Proof Your Side Hustle to Keep Making Money
If you don’t think technology won’t kill your side hustle, don’t be so sure.
Rideshare opportunities like Uber and Lyft have been good ways to make money for many, but that is not the future.
Automated vehicles will replace human-driven vehicles, and tests are already rolling on roads in Arizona and California. I’m sure there are others.
The idea that people will never ride in an autonomous vehicle is misguided. People will adopt the technology, especially when it makes rides cheaper and easier to hail.
Will autonomous rideshare happen?
Yes, it is possible that autonomous cars could be used for delivery in the future. Autonomous vehicles are cars that can operate without a human driver, using sensors, cameras, and other technology to navigate roads and traffic. These vehicles have the potential to be used for a variety of purposes, including delivery. However, many technical and regulatory challenges still need to be overcome before autonomous delivery vehicles become a reality.
Don’t get me wrong, the rideshare hustle is not going away overnight, but it is in the very earliest stages of the sun thinking of setting.
You could apply the same forecast toward delivery. However, the big question is if people will be willing to pay more for a human to carry your DoorDash, Grubhub, or Postmates order to your door rather than your driveway.
Cheap Will Win
For the most part, I bet on cheap. Just look at the popularity of Walmart.
I had a conversation with a friend when the entire Boo China movement was going on. Let’s call him Bob.
Me: “Bob, you are pro-American manufacturers and against China, but you do all your shopping at Walmart. You know many of those items are sourced from China.
Bob: “Why wouldn’t I shop at Walmart? Things are cheaper, and saving money is important?”
Me: “If you had to pay fifty percent more for an item if it was made in America, would you do that?
Bob: “No, but China is killing our economy, and we need to ban them.”
But Then There is Drone Delivery
Other automated forms of delivery will be an everyday event in the future.
Amazon, Walmart, and others are already running tests using drones to deliver food and other items.
If you are reading this and saying it will never happen, you should do some research, and you will see this is happening.
Uber in the Automated Truck Delivery Service
In case you didn’t think Uber isn’t excited about automated driving. Check this out.
So if Uber is in the automated delivery business, it would be safe to assume they also want to get into the automated people delivery side of things. If Uber does it, others will follow. That’s the way competition works.
That is unless people are willing to pay more for a human driver rather than a cheaper, faster-automated ride. Care to bet on that?
Concern over Side-Hustle Jobs Being Eliminated by AI
On a recent Reddit thread, someone asked, “With the emergence of Al, especially chatGPT and other software, I have been reconsidering the path I want to take. I have realized at this rate; there won’t be much need for copywriters in a few years, which is why I’d like to consider different options that aren’t so affected by technological advancements. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.”
I have a gig I’m testing on Fiverr, offering to write for people. See my test gig online here.
In general, the writing gigs Fiverr has matched me with requests from people that want specialized output but at a meager price.
When I’ve asked potential purchasers if they are interested in top output or a low price, every single response has been for the low price.
Hi Bob.
But Can AI Write for Websites?
Yes, AI can write for websites. AI systems can already write introductory articles and other content for websites. However, these AI systems are not yet able to write with the same quality and creativity as humans. They are typically used for generating short, straightforward content, such as news articles or product descriptions. For more complex or creative writing tasks, human writers are still necessary.
Well, how about more targeted projects like writing ads? Can AI do that?
Yes, AI systems can be used to write advertisements. AI often creates targeted advertisements tailored to individual users based on their online behavior and other factors. AI can also be used to generate headlines and other short pieces of advertising copy. However, as with other forms of writing, AI cannot yet create advertisements with the same level of creativity and effectiveness as a human. Human copywriters are still necessary for creating high-quality advertisements.
That’s a perfect use of an automated writing solution like the Reddit user mentioned.
The Chat GPT bot wrote every paragraph that starts with Yes in this post. Are they perfect? Not entirely, but are they cheap and good enough?
I see a business case for replacing human writers with automated writers when the data can guide the testing and creation of website stories, posts, and advertising to deliver the words that deliver the most wanted response.
Even My Side-Hustle Gig I’m Testing Can Be Replaced
I’ve been waist-deep in testing Online Arbitrage (OA), and even that is an excellent candidate to be done by AI. It’s all about data, and computers eat data for every meal.
Can AI be sued to eliminate my OA side hustle?
Yes, AI can be used for online arbitrage, as it can be trained to monitor prices and identify opportunities for buying and reselling products at a profit. However, AI systems would still require human oversight and decision-making, as many factors can affect the success of an online arbitrage strategy, such as shipping costs, product availability, and competition from other sellers.
Will Technology Replace Every Side Hustle?
No. But be prepared for technology to radically alter how things are done now.
I can guarantee that technology will change the side hustle landscape, and those that will succeed moving forward will be aware of what is coming and be willing to change and adapt.
As long as you are willing to adapt and change, today is still a great day to start a new side hustle income-earning gig if you are willing to be smart about it and not a human robot. And by the way, it’s always the right time to change your attitude. No computer is going to be boohooing about your emotional investment.
Originally published at https://pennystupid.com on December 14, 2022.
