Guide · for any industry

How to start an AI business, step by step

You don’t need to code or have a big budget. Most of our ideas start at $0 a month on free tiers. Here’s the simple path.

1. Pick an idea people are talking about

   Start with a problem you already understand from your job or life. Then look at Hot on X: we rank every idea by how much people talk about it on X this week. Each idea’s score adds up two things: how many posts mention it in the last 7 days, and how many likes, reposts, replies and quotes those posts got. Bigger number = more interest right now. How the ranking works.

   Hot right now:

   • Use AI and agents to write, produce and release music.
   • Make a simple daily web game with AI and grow it by letting people share their scores.
   • Help homeowners answer HOA fines and violation letters.
   • File lost-luggage claims for travelers, done for them.
   • Answer and manage Google reviews for local businesses.

2. Check it with 10 real people

   Before building, message 10 people who have the problem. Ask how they solve it today and what it costs them. If 3 say “I’d pay for that”, go on.

3. Build the first version with AI

   Open the guide for your idea and press “Open in ChatGPT/Claude/Grok”. For an app, use Lovable (opens in new tab) (Free tier · Pro $25/mo) or Bolt (opens in new tab) (Free tier · Pro $25/mo (hosting included)); if you code, Cursor (opens in new tab) (Free tier · Plus $8/mo · Premium $30/mo). For a service, you only need an AI chat like ChatGPT (opens in new tab) (Free tier · Plus $20/mo) or Claude (incl. Claude Code) (opens in new tab) (Free tier · Pro $20/mo). Keep version one tiny: one problem, one result.

4. Get paid from day one

   Create a Stripe payments (opens in new tab) (No monthly fee · 2.9% + 30¢ per card payment) Payment Link and put it on a one-page site (Carrd one-page site (opens in new tab) (Free tier · Pro Standard $19/yr (≈$1.58/mo, custom domain))). Selling a download? Gumroad (sell downloads) (opens in new tab) (No monthly fee · 10% + 50¢ per sale) works too.

5. Find your first 10 customers

   Go where your customers already are: X, Reddit, LinkedIn, local businesses, Facebook or Discord groups. Post a short demo every day. Send 10 short personal messages a day. Give the first 3 a “founding” price for honest feedback, then ask each happy customer for one introduction.

6. Set your price

   Simple rule: businesses pay for time or money saved; people pay for convenience. Small tools often charge $9–49 a month; services for businesses often charge $200–1,000 a month. Every guide shows a suggested price and an estimate like “10 customers × $29 = $290/mo”. That’s math, not a promise.

7. Know your monthly cost

   Every guide has a Tech stack with real public prices and a monthly cost range, from free tiers to paid plans. Start free and upgrade only when customers pay.

8. Grow what works

   Each week, write down where your paying customers came from and do more of that. Ask the AI to improve your weak spots: your page, your messages, your onboarding.

Ideas and estimates, not promises. Results vary. Stay legal: follow each platform’s rules and don’t spam.

See what’s hot on X → Ideas by industry