A 20-year-old computer science student says he made over $1M in a year selling AI-generated ebooks through Pinterest ads
Joe Popelas outlines books with ChatGPT, generates each section, and sells them to parents through Pinterest ad campaigns.
Subject: Joe PopelasEbook brand selling AI-written books through paid Pinterest ads
Case Overview & Background
Joe was a university student stocking shelves for $11 an hour. After working on GPT-3 projects, he met a publishing company that showed him how much money they made from books. He started generating books with AI in August, reached about 40 books by the end of September, had his first profitable day in October and his first $1,000 profit day in late December.
How AI Is Used
Step-by-Step Process
He bought and read competitors' books to see what they included.
ChatGPT makes the outline, then each chapter topic is generated in turn.
He runs consideration campaigns, then conversion campaigns.
Customer Acquisition & Distribution
Limitations, Risks & Failure Modes
What may not apply to you, and what could go wrong:
- The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
- Low-effort AI books can draw poor reviews and platform scrutiny
- Revenue depends on paid ads, so profit is not disclosed
Key Takeaways
- AI can speed up book creation, but product research still matters
- Paid ads on a less crowded platform can sell digital products at scale
Sources
Starter Story: Meet The Kid Who Made $1M With ChatGPT
Note: Video interview with transcript. States the over 1 million in one year figure, the AI book process and the Pinterest ads strategy.
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