Unlocking Online Income With AI Agents

The buzz around AI agents is undeniable, but what's driving this conversation? According to industry leaders, they represent the next evolutionary step in the modern workplace.

Justina Nixon-Saintil of IBM predicts that AI agents will soon become our new teammates, powerful enough to not just assist but to execute work autonomously. This shift suggests a future where teams are a hybrid of human and robotic contributors, forcing managers to learn how to lead both humans and AI agents effectively.

This trend is already taking hold, especially in the freelance community. Recent data highlights a significant adoption rate among independent professionals:

• Over half (54%) of skilled freelancers describe their AI skills as advanced or expert, compared to just 38% of their full-time employee counterparts, based on a May 2025 Upwork survey.
• Approximately 62% of skilled freelancers now use AI tools multiple times a week.
• This marks a rapid increase from January 2024, when the World Economic Forum reported only 20% of freelancers were regular generative AI users.

Intrigued by this potential, I decided to test OpenAI's new ChatGPT Agent mode to see if it could genuinely help a freelancer build a business and make money online.

What Exactly Are AI Agents?

Before diving into the experiment, it's important to understand what an AI agent is. McKinsey & Company defines them as tools that can automate and carry out complex tasks, like natural language processing, that would typically require human intelligence. When organized into systems, these agents can orchestrate complex workflows, coordinate activities, apply logic to difficult problems, and evaluate answers to user questions.

While many people already use agents like Copilot and ChatGPT, more advanced tools are emerging that are perfect for entrepreneurs and freelancers. Some notable examples include MindPal AI, Zapier’s AI agents, and custom no-code agent builders.

Putting ChatGPT's Agent Mode to the Test

With six years of freelancing experience, I was eager to see if ChatGPT's agent mode was a game-changer or just another trend. I set up a simple but powerful test.

My Process:

1. I logged into my ChatGPT Plus account.
2. I selected the new agent mode.
3. I gave it a specific prompt: “Analyze my LinkedIn profile in-depth and list recommendations for me to tweak it to attract high net-worth deals and partnerships and high-paying clients [my LinkedIn URL]."

The results were impressive. I watched in real time as the agent opened a new browser tab, navigated to my LinkedIn profile, and analyzed each section. It then provided around 10 concrete recommendations. One suggestion was particularly insightful:

"Emphasize measurable results in experience entries. For roles at CreatiSphere and Rachel Wells Coaching, spell out metrics that matter to high-net-worth clients: revenue growth, client portfolio size, geographies served and notable partnerships. Incorporate achievements such as “grew coaching business to $300K+ revenue in 2024,” “helped 10,000 professionals across eight countries increase income,” or “secured Fortune-500 clients for corporate training programmes.”"

This was a fantastic point. While I advise my clients to use quantifiable metrics, I hadn't thought to include my own business revenue in my experience section. These actionable steps are things I am now implementing to elevate my business.

Unlocking Opportunities with a Second Experiment

To push the agent further, I tasked it with helping me find high-value speaking engagements. My prompt was: "I want you to identify 10 key decision-makers for me to land speaking engagements, who are already in my LinkedIn network, and draft a message to them..."

Initially, the agent couldn't access my private network. However, I suggested that I log in myself through its interface. After I did, it successfully browsed my connections, identified 10 relevant contacts, and even drafted a personalized outreach template. It's a powerful way to generate leads, potentially leading to deals worth thousands.

One small limitation to note: the agent may struggle with "I'm not a robot" verifications on some websites, even if you take over to complete them manually.

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making Money with AI Agents

AI agents like ChatGPT can absolutely boost your freelance business if used strategically. Here's a simple framework to get started:

1. Identify Delegable Tasks: Pinpoint what you would normally hand off to an assistant.
2. Find the Right Agent: Choose the best tool for your specific task.
3. Prompt with Precision: Give the agent highly specific instructions and clear goals.
4. Supervise and Intervene: Be ready to step in and guide the agent when necessary.
5. Review and Implement: Never blindly trust AI outputs. Personally review the work and use it to enhance your business processes and strategy.

The Verdict: Are AI Agents Worth the Hype?

Absolutely. The ability of ChatGPT's agent mode to perform research, analysis, and outreach saves countless hours of tedious work. I'm excited to see how implementing these AI-driven strategies will impact my business revenue over the next few months.

If you want to enhance your career, boost your income, or launch a side hustle, I highly recommend giving agentic AI a try. See for yourself what it can do for you.