Can AI Provide Passive Income? Week 15 Insights
After a full week away from the project, I’ve returned with a clearer head, a stronger sense of direction, and a few unexpected insights to share.
Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your creative or business projects is to take a step back.
For the past seven days, I did just that. No editing, no new content, not even a peek at how the channel was performing. It turns out that giving yourself proper space can be a powerful tool for reflection and renewed motivation.
What Happens When You Pause?
On returning this week, I checked the analytics for the first time since heading off. My first long-form video had grown modestly, from 147 views to 159. The second, fully AI-generated long-form video had gone from 100 to 115 views.
While any growth is positive, I’d be lying if I said the numbers weren’t a little underwhelming. But I also understand more now than I did before: earlier in this project, my channel was originally built around a different kind of content. If YouTube is still serving my new videos to the old audience, poor engagement would make sense. It’s a reminder that sometimes performance data is about alignment, not just quality.
Copyright and AI: A Legal Development Worth Noting
One piece of news I came across while away caught my attention. Universal and Disney have reportedly taken legal action against Midjourney, citing the use of copyrighted characters in AI-generated outputs. Their case revolves around the claim that these outputs are not “transformative” enough to escape copyright restrictions.
While I’m not using Midjourney or referencing any specific characters directly in this project, it’s a timely reminder: if you’re creating content with AI, especially content rooted in existing media, you need to be thinking not just creatively, but legally.
Adding clear transformative value, original commentary, or distinct new context isn’t just a good creative practice; it’s also likely to be critical from a copyright perspective. (This case is ongoing, so it’s one to watch closely.)
Where to Go From Here
My next step is simple but important: re-ground myself. I’ll spend the next few days reflecting on what I’ve learned so far, what tools I now have at my disposal, and whether the next stage of this project requires a new home altogether.
Would a fresh YouTube channel, one created specifically for AI-generated content, be better at attracting the right audience and giving my videos the platform they deserve? It’s an idea I’m seriously considering.
For now, I’m glad to be back in the flow and excited to see where the next few weeks of experimentation will take me.