5 Of The SMARTEST Ways to Capitalize on the AI Gold Rush

You have probably seen at least five videos this week claiming AI will make you a billionaire by Thursday. You have also probably seen the ones warning that AI is coming for your job. The truth lands somewhere in between those two extremes, and the people who are winning right now are not at either end. They are doing something older and smarter. They are selling the shovels.

During the California Gold Rush, a man figured out that the real money was not in digging for gold. It was in selling the tools to the diggers. Today, AI is the new gold rush, and the five strategies in this post are five different shovels you can start building or reselling right now. Each one is a real business, not a viral trick. Here is what Alston broke down in the video above, plus everything you need to make an informed decision about which path fits you.

What You’ll Walk Out With

Why the “shovel seller” mindset beats trying to mine AI gold directly
How to build a teaching business around AI tools like Canva and earn through courses and affiliate commissions
The Poppy AI example: how someone built a tool with 40% affiliate payouts baked in
The GoHighLevel white-label play: start free for 30 days, sell AI chatbots to local businesses
How to compile niche AI tool lists and get paid through platform revenue, affiliate links, and brand deals
A step-by-step method for creating and selling ChatGPT prompt packs for specific professions
Use finder.platformproof.com to figure out which of these five paths fits your skills, schedule, and starting budget

The Gold Rush Analogy: Why Selling Shovels Wins Every Time

Alston opened the video with a story most people have heard but rarely apply. During the California Gold Rush, the person who arguably made the most money was not a miner. It was the merchant who figured out that thousands of people were about to need shovels, picks, and pans. He went to San Francisco and sold the equipment. The miners took all the risk and did all the digging. The shovel seller made consistent, predictable money regardless of whether any particular miner struck it rich.

AI is producing the same dynamic right now. Every few years a new wave hits, and content creators rush to announce the latest way to get rich quick. But the people who build durable income are the ones who show up as teachers, toolmakers, and resource compilers. They serve the wave instead of riding it blindly. The five methods below are all versions of selling the shovel.

Method 1: Teach People How to Use AI Tools

This is the most accessible entry point because it does not require you to build anything. You just need to learn something and then teach it. Alston used Canva as his example, specifically the AI features Canva has been rolling out. If you spend two weeks genuinely learning how to use Canva’s AI image generator, background remover, and text-to-image tools, you already know more than the average small business owner who needs those features.

You do not need to be an AI researcher or engineer. You need to be one level ahead of the person you are teaching. That gap is enough. Create short tutorials on YouTube showing people how to use the tool for a specific task. Show them how to create a social media graphic in under two minutes. Show them how the AI resize feature saves them from manually cropping five different versions of the same image. Real use cases that save real time.

From that content you can monetize in two directions at the same time. First, course sales. Platforms like Udemy are flooded, and the pricing race there drives your earnings down. Instead, sell a course directly from your own site or through a platform like Gumroad or Teachable where you keep more of the revenue and can charge two to ten times what you would earn per sale on Udemy. Second, affiliate marketing. Canva runs an affiliate program that pays you a portion of every premium subscription you refer. Someone watches your tutorial, clicks your link, and upgrades. You get paid every time that happens without doing any additional work.

YouTube is the right starting platform because the content lives permanently and compounds over time. TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are secondary options for shorter clips that drive people back to your longer content. The goal is to be seen as the teacher for a specific tool, not a general AI commentator.

Method 2: Build Your Own AI Tool

This one sounds intimidating until you realize that AI can help you build the AI tool. You do not need to know how to write code. You need to identify a problem that a specific group of people has and then figure out what kind of software solution would solve it. You can describe that problem to ChatGPT and ask it to help you outline the tool. You can hire a freelance developer on Upwork or Fiverr who specializes in AI integrations. The technical execution does not have to be yours.

Alston pointed to Poppy AI as a real-world example. Poppy AI is a tool similar to ChatGPT but positioned for a specific use case. The founder creates content showing people how to use it. Beyond that, Poppy AI pays out 40% commissions to affiliates who promote the tool. That is not a small number. If someone pays $50 per month for the subscription and you referred them, you earn $20 per month from that one customer for as long as they remain active. Stack enough referrals and that becomes a meaningful income stream.

The business model here is software as a service, which is one of the strongest recurring revenue models available. Think of it like Netflix. Netflix provides a service, you pay monthly, they keep making money as long as you stay subscribed. If you build an AI tool for woodworkers that helps them generate cut lists, design patterns, or wood grain estimates, and you charge $15 per month, you earn that money every month from every active subscriber. You are not chasing one-time sales constantly. The software works while you sleep.

The real challenge here is speed. The AI tool space moves fast, and finding an underserved niche before the market gets crowded requires quick decision-making and execution. If you do not have a developer relationship or coding experience, the build phase can take longer than you want. But the payoff for getting there is recurring income that does not require you to constantly create new content.

Method 3: White-Label Someone Else’s AI Tools

If building your own tool feels too slow or too expensive, white-labeling is the shortcut that eliminates most of the hard parts. A white-label arrangement means you pay a monthly fee to use an existing company’s software, put your own name and logo on it, and resell it to clients at a markup. You did not build the product. You built the distribution.

Alston called out GoHighLevel specifically. GoHighLevel offers AI chatbot functionality that you can license and resell. When Alston first started with it, they offered a 30-day free trial. That gives you an entire month to find your first clients before you pay anything out of pocket. If you land three clients in 30 days who each pay you $97 per month for their chatbot, you are already cash-flow positive before your own subscription bill arrives.

The most concrete opportunity Alston described was selling AI chatbot agents to local businesses like dental offices. A dental practice receives the same ten questions by phone every single day: What are your hours? Do you take my insurance? How do I cancel my appointment? A chatbot answers all of those automatically, 24 hours a day, without a receptionist having to pick up the phone. That is a real, measurable time and money save. When you walk into that conversation with a dentist, you are not selling software. You are selling freed-up staff hours and better after-hours coverage.

To keep clients renewing month after month, hold brief monthly training calls, check in on how the tool is performing, and make sure they know how to get support. GoHighLevel handles the support tickets if you set it up correctly. You are the relationship manager. As long as clients see value, they keep paying. Add digital training materials or a setup guide on the back end and you have an additional one-time product to sell at the start of every new client relationship.

Not sure which of these five methods fits your situation?

Answer a few quick questions at finder.platformproof.com and get a recommendation matched to your skills, schedule, and starting budget.

Method 4: Compile AI Tool Lists for Specific Niches

YouTube is already full of “best AI tools for video creators” and “best AI tools for marketers.” That space is getting crowded fast. But Alston pointed out something most people miss: the rest of the world has not caught up yet. Accountants do not know which AI tools apply to tax prep. Woodworkers do not know which AI design tools exist. Physical therapists have no idea if there is an AI tool built for their documentation process. Meanwhile, new AI tools are launching every single day.

The opportunity is to be the first person who compiles a clear, useful list of AI tools for a niche that is not already saturated with this content. You do not need to build anything. You research, test, and curate. Then you create content explaining what each tool does and why someone in that specific field would care. A 10-minute YouTube video titled “Best AI Tools for Accountants in 2025” serves an audience that has almost no direct competition in that exact topic.

The revenue stacks in multiple layers. First, platform payouts from YouTube itself once your channel qualifies for monetization. Second, affiliate links for every tool on your list. Most AI tools have affiliate programs, and adding your referral link to every video description costs you nothing but five minutes of setup. Third, as your channel grows, AI tool companies will reach out to sponsor your videos or pay for dedicated reviews. A brand deal pays a flat fee upfront and then your affiliate link keeps earning on top of it after the video goes live.

To research what people are already searching for, go to YouTube and type “best AI tools for” in the search bar. The autocomplete will show you what real people are looking for. That is your content calendar. Build videos around what people are already searching, not what you assume they want to know.

Method 5: Create and Sell AI Prompt Packs and Digital Templates

This is the fastest method to turn into a product with almost zero startup cost. The insight here is that most people know ChatGPT exists but have no idea how to get useful results from it. They ask vague questions and get vague answers. A well-engineered prompt pack removes that frustration completely.

The key is specificity. Do not sell “50 ChatGPT prompts.” Sell “50 ChatGPT prompts for elementary school teachers” or “50 ChatGPT prompts for ICU nurses.” When you target a specific profession, the people in that profession feel like you made this exactly for them because you did. They are not wading through generic prompts hoping something applies. Every prompt in the pack is one they will use next week.

Alston’s method for actually building the pack is simple. Open ChatGPT and say: “Act as an expert in prompt engineering. I want to create a list of 50 of the best prompts for elementary school teachers who want to save time on lesson planning, parent communication, and grading feedback.” Get the output. Then ask ChatGPT: “Is this the best possible output, or can you improve it?” It will refine the list. Take the refined list, format it into a clean PDF, record a short tutorial video showing how to use three or four of the prompts, and bundle the two together.

Sell it on Gumroad, Etsy, or directly from your own site. Price it somewhere between $9 and $37 depending on the depth and how specialized the audience is. To bring in buyers, create free short-form content on YouTube or TikTok aimed at that specific profession. A quick video called “How AI can help nurses save 30 minutes per shift on documentation” speaks directly to the right person. Inside that video, mention your prompt pack as the shortcut. People who are already curious about AI and in the profession you named are exactly the buyer you want.

Honest Drawbacks: What to Expect From Each Method

None of these are overnight results. Here is what each one actually asks of you before the money starts moving:

Teaching AI tools requires consistent content creation for months before your channel or platform builds enough of an audience to generate meaningful affiliate or course revenue. The ceiling is high but the ramp-up is slow.
Building your own tool requires either coding knowledge, budget to hire a developer, or willingness to learn a no-code builder. Finding the right niche problem takes research time, and getting your first paying users takes marketing effort on top of the build.
White-labeling requires active sales outreach, especially in the local business model. You are making calls, sending emails, and walking into offices. It is not passive in the early days. Once clients are in, the recurring model works, but getting them in requires hustle.
Compiling niche tool lists requires niche selection research up front so you are not competing against established channels. Picking the wrong niche (too broad or already saturated) means slow growth.
Prompt packs and digital templates have a low barrier to entry, which means competition will grow. Differentiation through deep niche targeting is the only real moat. A generic prompt pack sells for pennies. A profession-specific one priced right sells at full price.

Find Your X

Five methods is a lot to evaluate at once. Some of them fit people who already make content. Some fit people who prefer direct sales. Some require a little startup money; others cost nothing but time. The fastest way to cut through and figure out which one actually fits your situation is to go through the short quiz at finder.platformproof.com. It takes three minutes and gives you a matched recommendation based on your current skills, schedule, and how much you are willing to invest to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be an AI expert to start any of these?

No. Alston said it clearly in the video: you do not need to be an expert. You need to be one step ahead of the person you are serving. If you spend two weeks learning Canva’s AI features more deeply than the average small business owner, that gap is your qualification. Teaching and curating do not require PhDs. They require genuine usefulness.

How much can I realistically make teaching AI tools?

It depends entirely on your content volume, platform growth, and whether you combine course sales with affiliate income. A small channel with 2,000 targeted subscribers and one $97 course can generate a few hundred dollars per month. A mid-size channel with strong affiliate links can generate consistent four-figure monthly income. There is no honest flat number to give without knowing your starting conditions.

Is GoHighLevel a legitimate platform for white-labeling?

GoHighLevel is a real, established software platform widely used by marketing agencies and small business owners. Alston referenced it directly in the video as the example for white-labeling AI chatbots. As with any software, it has a learning curve, and you should test it during the free trial period before committing to monthly fees or selling it to clients.

How do I find my first client for a white-label chatbot?

Alston’s specific suggestion was local businesses, dentist offices being the example. Start by making a list of ten local service businesses in your area that deal with repetitive phone inquiries: dental offices, veterinary clinics, HVAC companies, salons. Call or visit them. Explain that the chatbot handles common questions automatically around the clock and frees their staff. Offer a free two-week pilot. A concrete demo beats any pitch deck.

Can I build an AI tool without any coding experience?

Yes, with caveats. No-code platforms like Bubble, Glide, and Make allow you to build basic AI-integrated apps without writing code. For more complex tools, you will need to hire a developer or learn a framework. AI itself can help you outline what to build and write basic functions if you want to start learning. The gap between “no coding experience” and “can build a basic useful tool” has narrowed significantly in the past two years.

Are ChatGPT prompt packs still worth selling in 2025?

Generic prompt packs have become harder to sell as buyers get savvier. But profession-specific packs remain useful because most people in those professions are not power ChatGPT users yet. A nurse who has never used AI for documentation is not looking for generic prompts. She is looking for something that works in her specific context on day one. That specificity is what makes the product worth buying.

Which of the five is best for a complete beginner with no audience?

Method 5 (prompt packs and digital templates) has the lowest barrier to entry because you need no audience, no development skills, and minimal upfront cost. You can create your first product in a weekend and list it immediately. Method 3 (white-labeling) is also beginner-friendly if you are comfortable with outreach, since you do not need a following to sell directly to local businesses. Both let you generate revenue before you have built a platform.

How long before I see real income from any of these?

Method 3 and Method 5 can generate income within 30 to 60 days if you execute consistently. Method 1 (teaching) and Method 4 (niche tool lists) typically require 3 to 6 months of consistent content before meaningful platform revenue kicks in, though affiliate income can start earlier. Method 2 (building a tool) has the longest lead time but potentially the highest ceiling once the product is live and marketed. There is no version of any of these that pays out the first week without prior setup.

Sources

Alston Godbolt, “5 Of The SMARTEST Ways to Capitalize on the AI Gold Rush,” YouTube, https://youtu.be/DWhj8fsJV34
Canva Affiliate Program, canva.com/affiliates
GoHighLevel platform, gohighlevel.com
Udemy online learning marketplace, udemy.com
Poppy AI, referenced as an example of a white-label-style AI tool with affiliate program