Is AI a good niche?
AI is a steady niche, but we don’t see clear momentum for new channels. Advertisers pay well here: long videos earn an estimated $4–$10 per 1,000 views. 2 new channels appeared in the last 90 days, but none has broken out yet. Only 22% of channels are faceless: viewers here mostly come for a person on camera.
Pros
- High RPM: $4–$10 per 1,000 views on long videos
- The median channel earns an estimated $3.7K – $9.2K a month
- Videos get a median of 61,105 views
Cons
- Only 22% faceless: mostly on-camera channels
Examples worth studying
The channels beating their niche average by the most, and the biggest breakout videos of the last 90 days. The full list is in the app.
Channels beating the average
Species | Documenting AGI468K subscribersFaceless(opens YouTube in a new tab)51×$7.2K – $18.1KByNiche estimate, monthly
AI Search766K subscribersFaceless(opens YouTube in a new tab)6.9×$15.7K – $39.2KByNiche estimate, monthly
The Tech Report129K subscribersFaceless(opens YouTube in a new tab)6.4×$23.5K – $58.7KByNiche estimate, monthly
Breakout videos, last 90 days
- 2h après la commercialisation de la nouvelle Roadster Tesla.Hugo IA Business, 1.5M views(opens YouTube in a new tab)
820× - Oxford Explains What Happens After The Technological SingularityTechnomics, 330.1K views(opens YouTube in a new tab)
83× - POV : Tu découvres les fonctions de la Nouvelle Tesla RoadsterHugo IA Business, 144.8K views(opens YouTube in a new tab)
77×
How to start a AI channel
Only 22% of channels in this niche are faceless. Viewers expect a face and a personality, so being ready to go on camera makes it a lot easier.
The most common formats among the channels we track: person talking to camera (68%), narrated documentary / explainer (19%), podcast / interview (6%).
Study the example channels below: which titles and thumbnails multiply their average, and how long are the videos?
Pick a narrower angle inside AI: focus on one audience or one question instead of the generic videos everyone makes.
Aim for the median first: here that’s 61,105 views per video. Ship your first 10 videos in one format, then adjust from the data.
Do the math honestly: 100,000 monthly views in this niche earn roughly $400 – $1K. You need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours to monetize.
Frequently asked questions
What is the YouTube RPM for AI?
Long videos in AI earn an estimated $4–$10 per 1,000 views (Technology category). Shorts pay much less: about $0.04–$0.1 per 1,000 views. RPM also shifts with your viewers’ countries and the ad season.
Can you run a faceless AI channel?
22% of the 23 channels we track here are faceless. The most common formats: person talking to camera (68%), narrated documentary / explainer (19%), podcast / interview (6%).
How competitive is the AI niche?
We track 23 channels. In the last 90 days 2 new channels appeared and none beat the niche’s usual views 3×. We haven’t seen new channels break in yet.
How much does a AI channel make?
The median channel earns an estimated $3.7K – $9.2K a month and gets a median of 61,105 views per video. The estimate comes from the last 30 days of views and the niche’s RPM range; the biggest channels earn far more.