GPT 4o’s image update unlocked a huge opportunity most people are ignoring

This is INSANEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Hands down, this is one of the first real AI innovations we’ve seen this year that lives up to the AI hype.

My bad, I’m getting ahead of myself.

OpenAI just dropped native image generation in GPT-4o, and I don’t say this lightly, but…

This ish right here is a game changer (I said that using my best Katt Williams impression). 🤣

Also: I tried ChatGPT’s new image generator, and it shattered my expectations

You don’t need professional design skills, expensive software, or even an ounce of artistic talent to produce jaw-dropping visuals. All you really need is your imagination and the right prompt.

Our imagination will soon become AI’s biggest limitation. Every new AI announcement makes it clear that creators and marketers will own the future. AI keeps breaking down barriers to entry in nearly every area. No coding skills? There’s an AI for that. No design skills? There’s an AI for that, too. 🤯

In this article, I’ll bring you up to speed on exactly what this update means, how image generation works and even a money-making side hustle you can launch as soon as today.

If you’re new to my work, my name is Lester, but feel free to call me Les. I’m an award-winning performance marketer and chairman of a group of DTC brands. These days, I’m focused on helping everyday people navigate the crowded AI space.

Also: Why you should ignore 99% of AI tools – and which four I use every day

If you’re looking for practical and helpful AI tips and tricks, sign up for my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts. I share AI news, marketing insights, and trends I’m seeing that move the needle.

But enough about me. Let’s discuss why all this matters to you. 🫶🥹

What changed and why it matters

Before jumping into it, let me give you a crash course on image generation.

Image generation takes existing images and gradually adds noise, making the images appear like static on a TV. It then trains by reversing that process, learning how to remove noise step by step until it can reconstruct an image from pure randomness. While learning, the model receives captions that describe each image, like “a cat playing,” helping it associate text with visual patterns.

Also: From zero to millions? How regular people are cashing in on AI

Once trained, if you type new words like ‘a red car,’ the model starts with a noisy image and refines it to match the description.🤓

Back in the day, and by back in the day, I mean a few months ago, image generation was helpful but still felt like a novelty. Even when the results were decent, you typically needed editing skills to correct imperfections.

Even though image generation was helpful, it could also be frustrating as your output would completely change when you reentered a prompt, making it difficult to iterate and improve. Adding text to an image was nearly impossible as fonts looked like hieroglyphics, words seemed invented, and the text often turned out blurry.

It was a complete mess. 😖

Fast forward to today with the ChatGPT update; you can quickly iterate, and janky text is no longer a problem.

While working with the new image generator, two things really stood out to me. First, the consistency when creating and iterating on the same output without changing styles or completely altering the project is outstanding.

Also: 3 lucrative side hustles you can start right now with OpenAI’s Sora video generator

Second, the AI periodically asks for clarity while generating images, which I love. For once, I didn’t feel like going all Mike Tyson on my keyboard while trying to get my work done.

Dare I say, it was pleasant to work with. Take that with a grain of salt, tho. It’s still early days, and it could easily piss me off tomorrow…but I digress. 😩

Sure, it’s got some solid upgrades, like being faster than other tools and working right inside ChatGPT, plus all the usual good stuff.

But I care more about two things: my sanity while using AI tools and whether the thing works. I couldn’t care less about it beating some made-up benchmark. “Does it work?” is my benchmark.

And so far, I’m very, very, very impressed. The power this update gives everyday people is unmatched.

No more waiting on anyone else to bring your vision to life; you can just get on with it. 😑

Also: Your customers don’t want more AI – here’s what to invest in instead

Oh, and I didn’t have to pay more to access these features. It’s included in the Pro plan.

Here’s why this is important. You can now create freely using natural language, and if I’m Adobe, I’m very concerned about where this goes.

GAME CHANGER!!!

How to use AI to start your side hustle

All these advancements are cool, but if you’re anything like me, you’ve got bills to pay. So, while I’m thrilled for Sam Altman and his crew, let’s jump straight to the part you care about: how to use all this AI power to launch a profitable side hustle or level up your current business.

I will show you exactly how to go from idea to launch using ChatGPT. If you ever get stuck or feel unsure about any step, guess what?

Just ask ChatGPT, lol. 🤪

Step 1 – The idea and concept

Reddit and ChatGPT can help you find and validate great ideas quickly. I wrote an in-depth article on exactly how to do that here:

Million-dollar ideas pop up in your feed every day – here’s exactly how to spot them

Following those exact steps, I decided to start a skincare line. This idea checked several boxes. It has a high potential for repeat customers and solves a problem that allows me to build a loyal community.

I’m calling it “seL,” which is Les spelled backward. Why? Because I’m fancy, duh. 💁‍♂️

Step 2 – Product design

Now that we have a solid concept let’s work on the design. seL is fancy, so naturally, it has to look the part. Here’s the exact prompt I used to create the visual branding for seL:

Create a realistic, studio-quality product mockup of a luxurious skincare brand called “seL.” Design the product packaging as a sleek rectangular bottle with a matte, burnt-orange finish, accompanied by a matching rectangular product box. Both the bottle and the box should feature minimalist, sophisticated branding with the text “seL” in an elegant, modern serif font, using black typography. Beneath the brand name, include the subtle phrase “SKIN TREATMENT BY LES” and a playful yet understated tagline at the bottom reading “MADE WITH 100% FANCY INGREDIENTS JUST SO HE COULD PROVE A POINT.” The bottle should have a matte black pump dispenser, contrasting gently with the warm burnt-orange packaging. Present both items clearly against a seamless background matching the burnt-orange color of the packaging. Use subtle, even lighting to highlight the matte textures and luxurious branding details clearly and distinctly, with minimal shadows and reflections.

And here are the results:

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