Starter Story - 18 business ideas AI can't replace

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18 business ideas that won't be replaced by ai anytime soon

A recent report published by OpenAI –in collaboration with ChatGPT itself– analyzed what jobs and industries will be the most impacted by the advance of AI.

While it's true that AI will disrupt many industries and the job market, there are still many areas where humans have a competitive advantage over machines. 

And we’re about to explore some of the business ideas and industries that are least likely to be affected by the rise of AI.

While it's impossible to predict the future with certainty, some characteristics make a business more resilient to disruption. 

Let’s see some examples of business ideas that won’t be at risk anytime soon due to AI:

Education

If teaching were replaceable, Google and Wikipedia would’ve killed it already.

Shoving information down people’s throats isn’t teaching. 

Education requires a high degree of empathy and social intelligence, making it unlikely to be replaced by AI. Moreover, the personalization of education requires individual attention and human feedback.

👉 Trans voice coaching -> $1.2M/year

👉 English teaching side hustle -> $15K/year

👉 SAT tutoring -> $180K/year

Food and Beverage

This industry requires a personal touch, making it difficult to automate service, experience, and personalization.

When it’s not there, it essentially becomes a vending machine. 

It’s quite a different experience to have a meal or a drink at a nice place, compared to getting a snack from a machine, right?

👉 Authentic Thai food -> $24M/year 

👉 Plant-based food restaurant -> $360K/year

👉 Gluten-free bakery -> $1.4M/year

Home Services

This one’s a no-brainer.

Plumbing, electrical work, cleaning, etc., require physical presence and problem-solving skills that are difficult to automate.

Trust me; these will always be profitable businesses you can make a living with.

👉 Chimney maintenance side hustle -> $252K/year

👉 Pool cleaning -> $96K/year

👉 Parking lot striping -> $739K/year

Art, Crafts, and Design

Sure, you can feed prompts to Midjourney, that’s going to be super helpful, and it’s going to open a whole new range of business opportunities. 

But creativity is a human skill that AI has yet to master. 

Art and design industries are unlikely to be replaced by AI anytime soon.

👉 Painting hobby -> $54K/year

👉 Hand-drawn embroidery -> $180K/year

👉 Metal wall art -> $4.5M/year

Law and Legal Services

Daunting tasks such as long research to find similar precedents for a specific situation are going to be so much simpler with AI.

However, legal work requires specialized knowledge, interpretation, and judgment, which can’t be easily replaced by AI.

👉 Asian-focused consulting -> $18M/year

👉 Family law firm -> $1.8M/year

👉 Help businesses set up in Dubai -> $1.2M/year

Personal Care Services

Until we start seeing robots walking on the streets, I think services such as hairdressing, manicure, or massage are pretty safe from AI.

Do you think their revenues are too low? That is not exactly true always (see below). But if you really want to grow them, these are perfect for franchising to entrepreneurs in other cities.

👉 Hair salon -> $6.6M/year

👉 Acupuncture center -> $72K/year

👉 Men’s fragrances -> $480K/year

Final thoughts: Even though these industries/business ideas may be less likely to be affected by the rise of AI, as a founder, being able to adapt to changes in technology and the market, it’s essential to stay competitive and unlock new opportunities.

Searching for a space that’ll be less affected by new technologies doesn’t mean turning your back on progress! 

Want to unlock more money-making business ideas?

Try Starter Story for just $1 and access 4,000+ real-life case studies and 8,000+ business ideas.

Discover how real founders:

a) Came up with business ideas that make money

b) Launched their businesses (even while working a full-time job)

c) Got their first customers and what exact strategies they used to generate cash as quickly as possible

And find out step by step how founders went from idea to thousands of customers.

All the systems and strategies to build a successful business can be learned, so why not learn them from others who have already done it?

👉 Try Starter Story for $1 today and build your dream business.

Quick hitters

This former pro-basketball player bootstrapped a $120K/year e-commerce brand. After retiring, he couldn’t get a job interview. Not one. So he had to create his own opportunity. Funded this business with all his savings, and he’s grinding hard to make it happen.

This guy brings in $30M/year with a real estate business. And it’s all from mobile homes. His secret? Went for the most recession-proof real estate properties. Not the sexiest niche for some, but definitely a very profitable one.

This couple built a $360K/year Christian brand. Religion is something people obviously are very passionate about. If you can hit the nail on the head as they did with their unique products, it could mean having customers for life.