“You can make money if you make videos with AI.”
Recently, I’ve been seeing this kind of talk quite often.
Sora, Veo, Kling, Runway. With the evolution of video generation AI, videos that previously required a significant amount of time for filming and editing can now be created by individuals.
So, is the work actually increasing?
Instead of just saying “AI video is amazing,” this time I looked at the overseas freelance market and actual projects in Japan to see if AI video side hustles are worth starting now.
To give you the conclusion first, demand is growing significantly.
However, it doesn’t seem to be a bonus time where you can make money just by saying “I can generate videos with AI.”
Demand for AI video is actually growing quite a bit
First, what was interesting was the data from Fiverr.
In the 2026 Business Trends Index, looking at the growth of AI-related demand by category, Video & Animation is up 278%. This significantly exceeds the 94% for Programming & Tech and 62% for Digital Marketing.
Looking more specifically,
Demand for AI UGC video ads is up 265%.
AI video ads are also up 63%.
When people think of AI, they often have an image of business automation or agents, but one of the places where companies are actually starting to spend money is on “content to show to customers.”
Similar trends are appearing on Upwork.
In the latest data from August 2026, “AI video creator,” “AI video,” and “AI video generator” are among the AI-related words with high search volume, and “AI video ads,” “AI video generation,” and “AI UGC” are listed as fast-growing searches.
Even if you follow it through June, July, and August, the trend is the same.
The searches on the company side are becoming more specific,
from “someone who can make something with AI”
to “someone who can make AI UGC,”
“someone who can make AI video ads,”
and “AI video creator.”
I think this is a quite important change.
This is because companies are starting to move from the “want to try AI video” stage to the stage of outsourcing specific deliverables.
AI video projects are starting to appear normally in Japan as well
Is this just an overseas story?
I also looked at Japan’s CrowdWorks.
In a project posted on September 3, 2026, for creating a roughly 20-minute YouTube video + thumbnail using AI images and video, the reward was 10,000 to 30,000 yen. 19 people applied.
On September 8, there was a recruitment for a 1-minute short drama production using AI for 38,500 yen. There were 21 applicants.
In another project on September 9, multiple people were recruited for AI video material production, with a reward range of 50,000 to 100,000 yen. 34 people applied, and 14 were contracted.
On the other hand, there are also AI video material production projects for around 1,000 yen per piece, and recruitments for 4,000 to 6,000 yen for 15 to 30 seconds.
What we can understand from this is,
AI video projects actually exist. But the unit price is still quite varied
is that.
It is not a market that can be simplified to “if you learn AI video, you get ââ yen per piece.”
It changes significantly depending on the project content, editing scope, length, whether it is an advertisement or material production, and the quality of the portfolio.
However, the market itself of “receiving work with AI video” has already started in Japan.
But “I can generate it” alone is weak
Looking at actual job openings, I thought this was the most important point.
In overseas AI video projects, they are not just looking for people who can use Sora or Veo.
What is being sought is,
Generating video with AI.
Editing from there.
Unifying the appearance of people or products between cuts.
Making natural audio and lip-syncing.
Creating a hook at the beginning to stop viewers.
Matching the brand.
Connecting to clicks or purchases as an advertisement.
Including all of this is an “AI Video Creator.”
In fact, on Upwork, there are long-term projects that require video editing, storytelling, and character consistency while using Veo, Kling, Runway, Sora, etc.
While there are ongoing projects with an hourly rate of 15 to 30 dollars and fixed-price recruitments of 2,000 dollars, there are also low-price projects of 5 or 10 dollars.
In other words, polarization has already begun in the AI video market.
Work that just operates AI is cheap.
On the other hand,
there is work for people who can use AI to bring it to “ads that sell,” “videos that get watched,” and “finished products that can be used for brands.”
This is the difference.
Video editing actually didn’t disappear
Another thing that was surprising was this.
If AI video generation grows, it seems like ordinary video editors would become unnecessary.
However, on Fiverr, while AI UGC video ads and the like are growing, demand for short video editing has increased by 27%, and video editing has also increased by 36%.
AI is not replacing all video production.
Rather, it has become a process of
creating materials with AI
â humans select
â edit
â correct
â match to ads or SNS.
As I covered in a previous article, the work of humans correcting and finishing AI-generated products is increasing.
It seems like the same thing is happening with video.
You can enter even if you are inexperienced. But it is better not to mistake where you aim
So, how about an individual with no video editing experience entering now?
My judgment at this point is **”It is worth doing now. However, do not make AI video itself the product.”**
For example,
“I can use Veo”
is weak.
If Veo becomes easy, that value will disappear.
Rather than that,
“I can make AI UGC ads for EC products”
“I can make product ads for Instagram Reels”
“I can make AI short dramas for YouTube Shorts”
like this, concretize it to the deliverable.
This matches the market movement better.
I don’t think you need to be able to make all videos from the beginning.
Narrow it down to one thing, such as AI UGC ads, product introductions, or short dramas, and create about three portfolios.
Apply to projects there and see the reaction.
If there is no reaction, rather than studying tools further, change how you show your work or the usage.
This order is more rational.
Is the AI video side hustle a “bonus time”?
Looking only at the market, it is a quite interesting timing.
Fiverr even opened an “AI Video Hub” specializing in AI video production in March 2026.
Searches on the company side are also increasing.
Actual projects are also appearing.
Recruitment has started in Japan as well.
Up to this point, it is quite a tailwind.
However, it is not guaranteed that this state will continue for a long time.
The easier video generation AI becomes, the less the “ability to generate video” itself will become a differentiator.
Therefore, I think the current bonus time is
not a bonus time for people who can make AI videos, but a bonus time for people who can create deliverables that work as a job using AI videos.
If you mistake this, there is a possibility that the unit price will have dropped by the time you learn the tools.
Conversely, now that the AI video market itself is in a growth stage, you can learn “what companies are paying for” while looking at actual projects.
If it were me, rather than studying AI video tools endlessly, I would first decide on one genre, create work, and try putting it out for projects.
Instead of the “start after studying” that is common in AI side hustles, try putting it out into the market while demand is growing.
Regarding AI video side hustles, that seemed like the most rational move.
Source
Fiverr “Business Trends Index 2026: AI Automation Edition”
https://www.fiverr.com/resources/guides/reports/business-trends-index-june-2026
Upwork “Monthly Hiring Insights: August 2026”
https://www.upwork.com/research/upwork-monthly-hiring-insights-august-2026
Upwork “Monthly Hiring Insights: July 2026”
https://www.upwork.com/research/upwork-monthly-hiring-insights-july-2026
Fiverr “AI Video Hub”
https://www.fiverr.com/news/fiverr-ai-video-hub
CrowdWorks “AI Video Creation/Editing for YouTube”
https://crowdworks.jp/public/jobs/13427179
CrowdWorks “1-Minute Short Drama Production Using AI Video”
https://crowdworks.jp/public/jobs/13437830
CrowdWorks “AI Video Material Generation”
https://crowdworks.jp/public/jobs/13442206
Upwork “AI Video Creator” Actual Project
