Workers in Chinese counties are almost surrounded by AI training courses.

In 2025, the wave of AI has been intensifying.

A couple of days ago, Luo Fuli, the so - called "AI genius girl", officially announced her joining Xiaomi, revealing Xiaomi's ambition in the AI field. Meanwhile, Fei - Fei Li, the "godmother of AI", released the first commercial world model, causing a stir in the gaming industry. Today, GPT - 5.1 has been launched. It's not only smarter but also more emotionally intelligent.

The protagonists of this AI carnival are never just tech giants. While ordinary people are still struggling with the question of "whether AI will replace them", there is a group of people who have already made a fortune riding on the AI wave.

Side - hustling workers set up AI - based stalls after work, transforming free AI - generated photo services on platforms into "streetside photo studios".

Some seasoned AI tool users have turned AI - assisted office work into a money - making machine. They can earn money from pictures, copywriting, and PPTs generated by free software. Some AI experts can easily earn over 10,000 yuan a month.

More advanced players have flocked to Huaqiangbei, turning AI into a master key. Adding AI to any product can double its price. Some merchants have achieved annual sales of tens of millions by revamping products with AI.

After the dream of getting rich overnight with AI shattered, the real AI - enabled money - making businesses have been discovered by young people.

The first ones to take risks

Have become AI resellers

AI has given rise to a brand - new profession: AI resellers.

Different from the traditional resellers who dealt in sneakers, tickets, and mobile phones, AI resellers, although still making money from information gaps, are regarded as saviors by contemporary workers and are considered the "best business" in the AI era.

First of all, the cost of being an AI reseller is extremely low, while the profit is quite substantial.

The "shelves" of AI resellers are filled with the "business philosophies" of internet giants.

Some have created the "Pinduoduo of the AI account world", responsible for organizing group - buying of accounts.

Many workers want to use the advanced features of AI software but are deterred by the high membership fees. At this time, what AI resellers are dealing in are accounts. The membership fee of several hundred yuan a year can be recouped by selling it to a few people. The more people in the group - buying, the more they earn.

This way of doing business is not actually new. It has already formed an industrial chain in the gaming industry. When it is tried out in the AI circle, it has become a new business.

In addition, some AI resellers are like product managers. They launch AI office packages for large - scale users. They integrate the access rights of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Grammarly on one platform or in one account and sell them to heavy AI users, which is both convenient and labor - saving.

The most important thing is that these businesses cost them almost nothing. Even if the unit price is not high, they can still make a small profit by relying on high sales volume.

Secondly, AI resellers understand human nature well and have both business and a good reputation.

Some people are not satisfied with making money by "renting out accounts" but instead make money through "AI services". This kind of business not only has low costs but also low risks.

Their business is simpler. They package and sell pictures, copywriting, videos, and codes generated by AI.

Some people may ask, "Can't you just download an AI software and do it yourself?"

Those who ask this question still underestimate human nature.

Do you think their core competitiveness is AI? In fact, it is their accurate capture of people's weakness of "not wanting to learn and looking for shortcuts".

On second - hand platforms, the "In - depth study of Kimi" priced at 50 yuan has sold nearly 1,000 copies. The costs behind it are mainly the advanced memberships of platforms like Kimi and GPT - 5 and the time cost of training AI.

For example, at the end of last month, Kimi launched a new Agent product, "OKComputer". With a membership subscription of only 99 yuan, users can generate dozens of in - depth reports.

While most people are still blocked by information barriers, resellers on second - hand platforms have already launched their services. The page clearly states, "Kimi OKComputer proxy service: 25 yuan per run, 30 yuan for urgent orders, customization supported."

The most important thing is that the comment sections of these orders are full of positive reviews.

After all, some people can't even register a Google account. What they are paying for is a shortcut to skip the learning cost.

This kind of AI business covers all industries, and some have already formed industrial chains.

For example, someone specializes in the health - care field. By feeding a large amount of professional data to AI, they generate high - quality health - care articles and short - video scripts and sell them monthly to health - care centers and health bloggers, easily earning over 10,000 yuan a month.

There is no ceiling for the business of these resellers. When tech giants invest in product upgrades, resellers can follow behind and make money from the opportunities.

AI + Everything

Boosts the secondary prosperity of Huaqiangbei

Just as ducks are the first to sense the warming of spring water, Huaqiangbei, as the barometer of China's electronics industry, has never missed any consumer electronics trend, from pagers and mobile phones to smartphones and VR devices.

Now, AI has replaced Apple as the new calling card of Huaqiangbei, and the large - screen advertisements are also about AI products.

Now in Huaqiangbei, everything can be AI - enabled. The saying "All hardware is worth reinventing with AI" has become a reality in Huaqiangbei.

In addition to the common AI speakers and AI earphones on the market, Huaqiangbei also has novel AI products such as AI guitars, AI rings, AI alarm clocks, and AI phone cases.

Here, as long as you can think of it, you can integrate AI into it. As long as there is a plan, mass production can be achieved quickly.

For example, the AI phone case in Huaqiangbei is equipped with an e - ink screen + NFC transmission. The AI feature lies in the fact that the APP is connected to a large - scale model. Users can select pictures and texts in the APP and display them on the phone case.

From a technological perspective, many products may not be highly AI - integrated, but they are fun. AI alarm clocks and AI guitars have gained some popularity in a small circle.

This kind of AI phone case is relatively expensive, costing more than 120 yuan. However, many young people buy it for taking photos and checking in.

For the AI hit products that tech giants are focusing on, Huaqiangbei competes with them on price.

Since the smart glasses jointly developed by Meta and Ray - Ban became a minor hit, major tech companies have flocked to the market. Naturally, Huaqiangbei won't be left behind.

In the oldest SEG Communication Market, you can see a row of AI glasses on the most prominent counters every few steps. In new markets such as Huaqiang Electronics World Store 2 and Huaqiang Fashion Digital Intelligence Center, AI glasses have become standard products in every stall.

At the Hong Kong Global Sources Fair this year, more than 30 manufacturers and supply - chain companies related to AI glasses from Huaqiangbei participated. They brought mature products that can be directly ordered, mass - produced, and experienced on - site.

Different from the high - end products of large manufacturers that often cost thousands of yuan, the cheapest AI glasses in Huaqiangbei only cost 60 yuan, making them accessible to many people who want to try something new.

The latest model of the Finnish Oura Ring starts at about 2,500 yuan, while in Huaqiangbei, there are dozens of styles available for less than 150 yuan. The original PlaudAI recording pen, which has sold over one million units globally, costs 1,149 yuan, but here you can get it for just over 100 yuan.

In terms of AI hardware, Huaqiangbei can sometimes even outpace large manufacturers.

For example, Apple just released the AirPods Pro 3 in September this year, which is equipped with AI and has a translation function. However, this kind of AI - enabled translation Bluetooth earphone has been on sale in Huaqiangbei for half a year, and the cheapest style only costs a few dozen yuan.

In addition, the AI translators, which are not very prominent in the eyes of large manufacturers, have become super AI hits in Huaqiangbei.

In the SEG Communication Market, almost every counter has a sign of "AI translator". The prices range from 100 yuan to 450 yuan, and the packages are all printed with words like AI, Intelligent, and Smart.

These AI translators have attracted a large number of foreigners. For many foreigners, their first stop in Shenzhen is to come to Huaqiangbei to buy a translation earphone.

Data shows that in 2025, the daily sales of some AI products in single stores in Huaqiangbei exceeded 20,000 units. The average monthly sales of AI glasses remained stable at 10,000 units, with an export ratio of nearly 40%. Some brands of AI alarm clocks have sold millions of units.

Now, there are many post - 95s and post - 00s bosses in Huaqiangbei who have made a fortune with AI devices and become the new generation of electronics business owners in Huaqiangbei.