The AI business models I'm most bullish on in 2026:
1) AI Implementation Consulting
Easiest business to start, requires minimal expertise. You just need to be one week ahead of your client in terms of AI knowledge.
Interview small business owners to uncover bottlenecks, prescribe 3-5 off the shelf AI tools they can implement to fix those bottlenecks.
Money back guarantee if you can't find them 5 hours per week in time savings.
2) AI Concierge Consulting
Done-with-you consulting where you work with small business owners over Zoom to help them build Skills, install Claude Cowork, etc.
They get two 45-minute AI strategy calls per month, unlimited Voxer access in between.
Send them a Jotform questionnaire before the first call to figure out where the most opportunity is.
Hit the ground running on call one, ship actual Skills/automations on the first call so they see the ROI.
3) Speed to Lead AI Agents
More difficult to build but highest upside.
Ideal for B2B businesses who have a steady stream of inbound leads. You build an AI agent that sends personalized responses to inbound leads in under 5 minutes.
Use Hermes as the agent harness. Start with one inbound channel.
Charge high ticket for this offer ($5k setup fee, $500/month recurring) because clients see an immediate ROI.
Start with AI Assessments, graduate to AI Concierge consulting then eventually offer productized Speed to Lead agents.
This is the 7-figure AI Services offer stack for 2026.