Top 3 Lucrative Side Hustles to Launch Now Using OpenAI's Sora Video Generator

My Thoughts on Fancy New AI Features

Every time a company rolls out a new AI feature, I can't help but think to myself, "Wow, I can snap a photo of sushi, turn it into a dancing cartoon character with just one prompt." Truly groundbreaking, right? Sarcasm aside, I've got to admit, OpenAI Sora is pretty cool.

There's buzz about whether this is the end for Google. This new AI tool isn't just competing; it's out there winning. But as I pondered, I asked myself, "How can I actually turn this into a way to make a living?"

If you've been eyeing these AI tools thinking, "This is awesome, but I've got bills to pay," I've got some ideas for you. In this article, I'll share three ways to turn Sora into a cash flow stream and break down how to build a sustainable business around it. Stick around till the end, and I'll throw in a little gift to make your life easier when using Sora for content creation. 😊

Quick Intro

If you're new here, I'm Lester Mapp, but my friends call me Les. 👋 I'm a founder with a successful exit under my belt and currently serve as the executive chairman of a group of DTC brands. At heart, though, I'm an award-winning performance marketer. Coming up with ideas and getting them to market? That's my jam.

There's a new king in online shopping, and it's building an unstoppable monopoly. But more on that later. If you're into data-driven marketing insights and strategies, don't miss out on my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts.

Now that we've got the introductions out of the way, sit back, relax, and let's dive into a mini AI Shark Tank to see which business ideas are worth investing in.

But first, let me catch you up on what OpenAI Sora is and why it's the next big thing since, well, dancing sliced bread. 😏

What is OpenAI Sora?

OpenAI has once again changed the game, this time with video creation. Sure, there are other tools out there, but Sora fits my needs perfectly right now. Plus, it's just $20 a month and bundled with my ChatGPT Plus plan, so that's a win.

So, what exactly is Sora? It's simple: you type a prompt, and Sora whips up high-quality video in minutes. 🎬 It's mind-blowing and set to revolutionize content creation.

Until now, text-to-video has been a bit of a challenge. Getting AI to match what's in your head isn't easy. But Sora simplifies this by offering features that let you fine-tune your results. You can view the full prompts used to create any video, copy them, or remix them with slight tweaks to fit your vision. It's like tweaking your test answers while the test is being graded – a total game changer! 🤯

Sora isn't just about generating videos from scratch. It can also:

• Combine multiple videos into one coherent scene
• Animate still images like cartoons or illustrations
• Modify existing videos seamlessly based on your prompt
• Create stable, coherent videos without the usual AI morphing issues

This level of control and quality sets Sora apart. It keeps objects stable, even when obscured, and can generate different camera angles of a scene from a single prompt. 😲 While it's not perfect, Sora is a giant leap forward, and it will only get better with time.

How is this possible?

You might be wondering, "How is this even possible?" Well, it's AI magic. 🤪 If that's not a satisfying answer, here's the short and sweet version:

In 2017, Google invented something called Transformer Architecture and published their findings. Transformers are a revolutionary neural network that dramatically improved AI's ability to understand, generate, and process complex sequential data, especially for natural language.

OpenAI built on this foundation and developed powerful language models. The result? ChatGPT. 🎉 But then Google noticed that Transformer didn't just find patterns in text; it also found patterns in videos.

OpenAI took that, expanded on it, combined it with their image generation work (like DALL-E 3), and boom, Sora was born. Think of it like this: Google would be Alexander Graham Bell, who made the first phone, and OpenAI is Steve Jobs, who made the iPhone. It's not a straight line from Google's work to Sora, but it's a fascinating story of stacked innovations where each breakthrough builds on the last.

3 Ways I Would Make Money Using Sora

1. Become a Prompt Engineer

A prompt engineer helps users create precise prompts to unlock Sora's full potential, generating high-quality videos for ads, tutorials, and more. This tech is powerful but needs finesse to get the best results. Since it's new, many people don't know how to use it, and plenty of them won't want to bother learning. That's where you come in.

Create a social profile on LinkedIn or Instagram to showcase your work and attract clients. My tip? Focus on a niche audience, like plumbers or real estate agents, and specialize your offer, i.e., marketing ads, educational videos, product demos, etc. You want to do this because you need to focus, especially in the early days, if you want meaningful results.

2. Start an AI Video Creative Agency

A creative agency can use Sora to create finished videos for marketing campaigns, social media content, B-roll, and more. Unlike a prompt engineer who delivers text, agencies deliver polished, ready-to-use videos. Knowing your way around video editing is ideal, giving you more creative freedom to mix and match different scenes.

To get your first clients, start by talking to local small businesses and offering to create videos that promote their goods and services. I would literally knock on doors and show people my work. My advice? Do some free videos for local businesses in exchange for an honest review. Use those reviews to land paid clients. You're welcome.

3. Use Sora for Content Creation

This one is my favorite because I wouldn't need to talk to anyone – lol. I would use Sora to create engaging video content for Instagram and YouTube. Leverage AI-generated visuals to enhance storytelling or educational content.

My favorite style is faceless YouTube videos, usually in a documentary format. I would use ChatGPT for scripting and Sora for visuals. For the voiceover, either do it yourself or use a natural-sounding AI voice. Focus on niches that pay the most per ad, like finance or business. Even though this is my favorite option, it takes longer to gain traction, so staying consistent is key.

My tip? Master the art of storytelling. Good storytelling follows a "simple" framework called the hero's journey:

• Ordinary World – Introduce the current situation or status quo.
• Call to Adventure – Present an opportunity or problem that needs solving.
• Crisis Challenges – Detail obstacles, challenges, or risks encountered.
• Results or Reward – Show the outcome, success, or transformation achieved.

Write that down; this format is an industry secret!

My Two Cents

First off, thanks for sticking with me through this long one. Now you know what Sora is and how you can use it to pay some bills. 🎓

Regardless of the methods you choose, remember building a business is hard work. While it may be tough, it's not impossible. So, pick an idea and stick with it.

Keep learning and growing; don't get emotional if things don't work out immediately. A mentor once told me, "You can change the plan, but don't change the goal."

Let me know which idea is your favorite on LinkedIn.

Oh, I almost forgot the gift! Use this reference guide when creating prompts. These camera shots and movements will level up your Sora outputs. Credit @MindBranches

😇 Hope this helps; I'm rooting for you.

P.S. 📩 Want more data-driven marketing insights? Sign up for my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts. I share what's working in the world of digital marketing, the latest trends, and the occasional pep talk to keep you inspired. If this sounds like your jam and you wanna be besties forever, click here to sign up. It's totally FREE!