5 AI Tools I’d Use to Make $1M (w/o employees, money, or time)

Key Concepts

• AI-Powered Content Creation: Utilizing AI tools for generating realistic videos, images, and text.
• Deepfakes: AI-generated synthetic media where a person's likeness is replaced with someone else's.
• AI Browsers: Browsers with integrated AI capabilities designed to enhance user experience and productivity.
• AI for Productivity: Tools that automate tasks, save time, and improve efficiency in various professional and personal contexts.
• AI in Finance: Applications of AI for financial analysis, modeling, and investment insights.
• AI for Marketing and Sales: Using AI to create marketing content, automate outreach, and drive traffic.
• AI for Job Seeking: Tools that automate job applications and assist with interview preparation.
• Ethical Considerations of AI: Discussion on the potential misuse of AI, societal impact, and the evolving relationship between humans and technology.
• Arbitrage Opportunities: Identifying and leveraging emerging technologies for financial gain.

AI-Powered Video Generation and Deepfakes

The discussion begins with the capabilities of AI in generating realistic videos, exemplified by an AI-generated video of Taylor Swift.

• Technology: The underlying technology mentioned is the open-source model "Juan 2.2" by Alibaba.
• Accessibility: While the core model might be complex, platforms like Enhancer.ai and Freepick offer Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions, making AI video generation accessible without deep technical knowledge.
• Use Cases:
  • Content Creation: Generating content for personal brands or entertainment.
  • Advertising: Using public domain figures like JFK or Plato for ad campaigns. PJ Ace, an AI video ad specialist, is cited as achieving hundreds of millions of views using such methods.
• Process for AI Video Ads:
  1. Scriptwriting: Using tools like ChatGPT for script ideas.
  2. Reference Frames: Creating storyboard images using image models like Enhancer or Freepick.
  3. Animation: Animating these frames to form a cohesive story.
  4. Editing: Potentially using professional software like Final Cut Pro for refinement.
• Dark Side of Deepfakes: A cautionary tale is shared about a wealthy individual's apartment being robbed due to a deepfake used to impersonate a handyman, highlighting the potential for criminal misuse and the need for vigilance, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly.

Perplexity Comet: The AI-First Browser

The conversation shifts to Perplexity Comet, an AI-first browser presented as a game-changer for productivity.

• Core Functionality: Perplexity Comet integrates AI directly into the browsing experience, aiming to replace traditional browsers like Chrome for many tasks.
• User Experience: The presenter emphasizes that once users experience an AI browser, returning to traditional browsers feels "slow" and "painful." This is compared to the shift from using Google to ChatGPT for many queries.
• Workflows and Examples:
  • Discount Code Finder: When shopping online, Comet can automatically search for and apply working discount codes, saving money and time. An example shows saving $66 on jackets using the code "thrift10." This is humorously dubbed "girl math."
  • Finding Specific Moments in Videos: Comet can locate and play exact moments within YouTube videos by searching transcripts. For instance, finding a specific quote from Steve Jobs about the intersection of liberal arts and technology. This significantly reduces the time spent searching and watching videos for specific information, aiding tasks like copywriting.
  • Information Synthesis: After finding a relevant video, Comet can be prompted to extract key takeaways for a specific audience (e.g., founders) and present them in an essay format.
  • Talent Acquisition: Comet can find LinkedIn profiles of individuals matching specific criteria (e.g., worked on Apple AI, now at Meta). It can then draft personalized outreach emails for hiring purposes. The presenter notes that this could be a free alternative to expensive tools like LinkedIn Recruiter.
  • Email Sending Agent: Comet can be connected to Gmail to send drafted emails, acting as an agent for communication.

Whisper Flow: Voice-to-Text Productivity

Whisper Flow is introduced as an underrated AI tool for voice-to-text transcription.

• Problem Addressed: The presenter expresses a strong dislike for typing due to physical discomfort and inefficiency.
• Functionality: Whisper Flow allows users to speak to their computer, and it transcribes their speech into text.
• Productivity Gains:
  • Speed: It boasts a transcription speed of 220 words per minute, significantly faster than typing at 45 words per minute.
  • Accuracy and Correction: It can intelligently correct mistakes or choose the intended phrase if multiple similar phrases are spoken (e.g., "burger" vs. "taco").
  • Formatting: It can automatically format spoken points into structured lists.
• Team Use Case: The snippet library feature allows teams to create pre-defined text snippets for common responses (e.g., calendar availability, support FAQs), which can be inserted by simply saying a keyword.

TryShortcut.ai: AI for Spreadsheets

TryShortcut.ai is presented as a revolutionary AI tool for interacting with spreadsheets.

• Problem Addressed: The presenter and host express a strong aversion to traditional spreadsheet software like Excel, finding it overwhelming and complex.
• Technology: It offers an AI-first version of Excel, working similarly to Comet by analyzing the screen (a cloud version of Excel) and responding to natural language prompts.
• Capabilities:
  • Data Analysis: Users can upload financial data and ask for key insights.
  • Financial Modeling: It can build complex financial models like Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analyses and income statements.
  • Investment Insights: It can analyze data to suggest stock picks, even referencing figures like Warren Buffett.
  • Data Visualization: It can create new documents based on analyzed data, such as operating cash flow reports.
• Accessibility: It offers a free tier with limited credits and an Excel plugin for users who prefer not to use a cloud-based solution.
• Comparison to ChatGPT: While ChatGPT can query data, TryShortcut.ai goes further by performing complex financial analyses and building models, acting as a "financial analyst in a box."

Realfarm: AI for TikTok Content Automation

Realfarm is introduced as a tool for automating TikTok content creation, particularly slideshows.

• Target Audience: Individuals and businesses looking to leverage TikTok for traffic generation and customer acquisition.
• Arbitrage Opportunity: The presenter suggests an arbitrage opportunity in using AI to create meme accounts or niche content accounts on TikTok and then selling software or products through them.
• Functionality:
  • Slideshow Creation: Users can source images (e.g., from Pinterest) and use prompts to generate TikTok slideshows on specific topics. The tool is optimized for TikTok's current promotion of slideshow content.
  • UGC Ad Avatar Feature: Realfarm allows users to create AI-generated avatars that can present product videos or ads. Users provide a hook, and the AI generates the video with background music.
• Perceived Value: Despite potential "cringe" or imperfect AI output, the presenter argues that the average user scrolling through TikTok is unlikely to notice flaws, and the content can still be effective for driving engagement and sales.
• Use Case Example: A friend's app for men's health (Kegal exercises) is cited as a difficult product to promote organically, suggesting Realfarm could be a solution for such niche markets.
• Company Adoption: The presenter notes that prominent companies like A16Z and Substack are listed as users, indicating the tool's perceived value in the market.

AI Apply: Automated Job Applications

AI Apply is presented as a tool for automating the job application process.

• Core Feature: Allows users to apply to thousands of jobs automatically using AI.
• Additional Features:
  • Interview Buddy: Provides real-time interview assistance and helps answer questions.
  • Resume and Cover Letter Building: Assists in creating application documents.
• Rationale: The presenter supports this tool as an "unfair advantage" for job seekers in a challenging economy, acknowledging that it might be overwhelming for HR managers receiving numerous AI-generated applications.
• Market Adoption: The tool is reported to be used by 1 million users.
• Future Development: A future version of the product is mentioned to help companies filter out AI applications, highlighting the ongoing arms race between AI generation and detection.

Synthesis and Conclusion

The podcast episode "My First Million" focuses on identifying and leveraging "underrated hidden gems" in AI tools to increase productivity and generate income. The presenters, Sam Parr and a guest, explore a range of applications that can benefit individuals aiming to grow from zero to a million dollars, emphasizing accessibility and ease of use.

The discussion highlights the rapid advancement of AI, from realistic video generation and deepfakes to AI-powered browsers, voice transcription, spreadsheet analysis, content automation, and job application assistance. While acknowledging the potential for misuse and the ethical considerations surrounding AI, the overarching theme is empowering individuals with these tools to gain a competitive edge. The episode underscores that these technologies are no longer exclusive to tech experts but are becoming increasingly accessible to the general public, offering significant opportunities for those willing to explore and adopt them. The presenters conclude by emphasizing that the key is to find ways to integrate these tools into one's workflow to achieve personal and financial goals, likening the process to finding and using "light bulbs" to illuminate new possibilities.