Confidential Files - Once Upon an Algorithm
In-depth analysis on how ChatGPT's Side Hustle is Going Better Than Yours
Let’s get one thing straight: Ammaar Reshi didn’t set out to become a children’s book author. He had no publishing deal, no background in illustration, and no toddler fanbase. What he did have was curiosity, internet access, and two shiny AI tools — ChatGPT and Midjourney.
72 hours later?
A fully illustrated, published children’s book titled Alice and Sparkle was live on Amazon. Cue the viral chaos.
Some people called it genius. Others called it the downfall of creativity. Meanwhile, Ammaar was just sitting there thinking, “I literally just typed prompts.”
Whether you're laughing, fuming, or taking notes, there’s no denying it: this was entrepreneurial judo — flipping tools into traction fast. So what can we learn from this beautifully weird moment in business?
Business Model Breakdown: How to Sell Robot-Made Bedtime Stories
Here’s how the business actually worked:
1. Zero to Author in 72 Hours
Reshi used ChatGPT to draft a simple kids’ story about a girl and her AI friend (meta, right?). No editors, no publishing gatekeepers, just dialogue with a chatbot.
2. Illustrations on Demand
He then fed scenes into MidJourney, which spat out whimsical (and occasionally wobbly) illustrations. No human illustrator needed. No fees. No timelines.
3. Self-Published on Amazon KDP
He uploaded the whole thing to Kindle Direct Publishing, where print-on-demand takes care of the logistics. Cost? Basically nothing. Margin? Nearly 70%.
4. Viral Fuel
When the internet discovered the book was made entirely by AI, everyone had an opinion — from tech bros to indie artists. Controversy = clicks. Clicks = sales.
Big Entrepreneurial Learnings
1. You Don’t Need Expertise — Just Curiosity
Reshi didn’t wait to “become” a writer. He pressed buttons, tried tools, and published. The barrier to entry isn’t money or mastery anymore — it’s hesitation.
→ Book Pairing: Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon
2. Speed Beats Perfect
Was the story Shakespeare? No. Was it beautiful? Sort of. But it was done. In a world of perfection paralysis, Reshi showed that shipping fast can spark conversation — and sales.
→ Book Pairing: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
3. Controversy Is a Marketing Strategy
He didn’t buy ads. The backlash from artists (who raised real concerns) became organic PR. The internet loves debating AI vs. human creativity — and while they argued, his Amazon page got traffic.
→ Book Pairing: Trust Me, I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday
Your Business Partner Might Just Be a Bot. Reshi used ChatGPT and Midjourney not as gimmicks, but as collaborators. The tools are here — might as well use them just as suggested in ‘The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman’.Co-written by a DeepMind co-founder, it explores how AI will reshape society — including what it means for entrepreneurs who adapt early.
So, Should You Sell AI Bedtime Stories?
Maybe. Maybe not. But the bigger takeaway?
In today’s business playground, tools are free, attention is currency, and weird works. Whether you’re coding, prompting, drawing, or just playing with ideas — speed and creativity beat tradition.
AI won’t take your job — but the person who knows how to use AI probably will.
So experiment. Prompt. Tinker. And read these books if you want to play this new game on easy mode. So if you’ve got a half-baked idea? Don’t overthink it. Prompt it. Build it. Ship it.
Because in this new world of AI entrepreneurs…Done by robot > Perfect and never launched.
Further Investigation
The Washington Post: AI-generated children’s book sparks backlash from artists
TIME: How an AI children's book triggered a wave of criticism from artists
Book Career in a Year: Leveraging AI Tools for Self-Publishing Success in 2024
Yahoo Tech: This creator used AI to publish a children’s book—Here’s what happened
What’s Next ?
New Post Dropping - 13 May 2025
From Cuddles to Cash (Who Doesn’t want to be a Human Teddy Bear?)