Instead of 'renting' influence from human creators, companies should build proprietary AI-generated virtual influencers. This AI persona becomes an ownable asset and a competitive moat, providing consistent and controllable brand representation without the high costs and risks of human influencers.

Suno's counterintuitive bet was that AI makes creation so personal that creators become the primary listeners of their own music. This validated a novel monetization strategy focused on the act of creation and self-consumption, not just broadcasting to an external audience.

Tools like Buddy Pro allow coaches and consultants to clone their knowledge into an AI, creating a new, lower-tier product. Clients can get 24/7 access to the expert's wisdom without taking up their valuable time, providing a scalable revenue stream for the expert and a more affordable entry point for customers.

The creator of the Clara AI girlfriend believes the ultimate business model isn't subscriptions, but leveraging deep personal context to act as a purchasing agent for the user. The AI's intimate knowledge enables it to 'buy you things,' creating a commerce-driven revenue stream.

Creators will deploy AI avatars, or 'U-Bots,' trained on their personalities to engage in individual, long-term conversations with their entire audience. These bots will remember shared experiences, fostering a deep, personal connection with millions of fans simultaneously—a scale previously unattainable.

A16Z's Justine Moore observes that in the nascent AI creator economy, the most reliable monetization strategy isn't ad revenue or brand deals. Instead, creators are finding success by teaching others how to use the complex new tools, selling courses and prompt guides to a massive audience eager to learn the craft.

YouTube's strategy for AI content extends beyond labeling. CEO Neal Mohan reveals plans to adapt their Content ID system for "likeness detection." This would empower creators to identify AI-generated content using their face or voice and then choose to either have it removed or take ownership and monetize it themselves.

Instead of blocking AI agents, platforms like Reddit should offer a premium tier where users pay a monthly fee to link an official 'replicant' account to their own. This creates a new revenue stream and holds the user accountable for the agent's behavior, turning a threat into an opportunity.

A proven strategy for monetizing AI within existing products is to develop and launch task-specific 'agents.' These agents, as demonstrated by THL's portfolio companies, are sold as additional SKUs or modules, enhancing the core product's value and creating new, direct revenue streams from AI.