Why 99% will miss the AI money wave - How to really ride the wave!

The better product wins? Not anymore.

As a developer, I find it difficult to accept this. For years, I believed that quality prevails. But the reality is different. Today, it is not enough to simply build the best tool - even the cleverest AI solution is useless if nobody sees it.

I have learnt from experience: without attention, even the most well thought-out product remains invisible. Instead, half-baked "AI agents" go viral on TikTok and collect millions of clicks - not because of their code, but because they manage to generate attention.

That's what it's all about today: whoever stands out wins. Visibility beats quality. And this is particularly noticeable in the AI sector.

🔍 Why attention is everything

We live in the attention economy - an economy in which the scarcest resource is not money or time, but attention. Everyone is fighting to be seen, heard and clicked. And those who manage to focus this attention can use it to control everything else: reach, brand value, sales, influence.

Sound exaggerated? But it's part of everyday life - just take a look at TikTok, YouTube or Instagram.
Videos that have absolutely nothing to do with your product but awaken emotions or tell a story that sticks. And suddenly a 17-year-old developer with a half-finished AI bot has 100,000 followers - while your perfectly optimised solution disappears into oblivion.

The new currency is no longer product quality, but visibility.

Because without visibility there is:

• no feedback (i.e. no iteration),
• no growth (i.e. no proof),
• and certainly no sales.

It's like a shop window without light - you can have the most beautiful merchandise inside, but nobody notices it outside.

In the AI sector in particular - where new tools are created every day - the first perception often determines success or oblivion.
If you're not visible, you don't exist. Full stop.

🔥 Understanding viral mechanisms - and utilising them

Viral content does not emerge by chance - it follows patterns. And if you understand these mechanisms, you can use them in a targeted manner to generate reach. This is especially true for AI projects, which are often technically brilliant but communicatively invisible.

What makes viral content go viral

1. A strong hook
   - The first 1-3 seconds are crucial. A question, a moment of shock, a strange scene: the main thing is that the viewer stays tuned in.
2. Emotional reaction
   - Jokes, anger, wow. Anything that touches or provokes is more likely to be shared. Nobody shares rationality alone.
3. Pattern breaking
   - If something doesn't correspond to the expected, people look at it. An AI that looks like a human. A granny who raps. An absurd job story.

And this is where it gets difficult for many tech projects:
Most AI founders communicate like in a pitch deck - sober, complex, overloaded with buzzwords. The problem:
The person on the other side is not interested in your architecture or your data model. They want to know: Why should I find this cool?

Three viral examples that got it right:

1. Manus (Scarcity + Curiosity)

An AI agent from China/Singapore that went viral overnight. Why?
Not just because of the technology - but because access was limited. Invite codes, exclusive access, clever scarcity - this immediately generates curiosity and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
Zack: 200,000 followers on X. And everyone is talking about it. And everyone is talking about it.

2. Clearly (meme marketing for nerds)

Clearly understands its audience: young techies. And hits them with videos that are based on memes, e.g. a developer who does five jobs at the same time.
This is clever, funny, to the point - and perfect for sharing.
The tool is almost secondary. The brand is strengthened through recognition and humour.

3. The AI girl story in the mall (hook + empathy)

A simple short video:
"I'm going to the mall today. People will stare at me."
What follows is a very tall woman walking through a shopping centre - and being watched.
Emotional identification. Curiosity. Surprise.
The result: over 370,000 views - with a single video.

🛠️ The tools for solo founders: Generative AI + video

If you want to market a product as an individual, the path used to be clear:
Hire a marketing agency, book a camera team, have a script written - and hope that something useful comes out in the end.

Today?
Do it yourself - with AI.

The current tools have become so good that you can create content that looks professional within hours - even without design, editing or voiceover skills.

The most important tools for viral video content:

• Veo3 - The current favourite for AI videos with storytelling. Perfect for TikToks, reels, YouTube shorts. Based on image-to-video.
• Runway ML - Known for Gen-2, delivers impressive image and video effects. Ideal for creative visuals.
• Pika Labs - Fast, creative, low-threshold. Great for simple video ideas with the wow factor.
• ElevenLabs - Best AI voices. Use it for voiceovers, voiceover texts or entire dialogues - in multiple languages.

With these tools you can:

• Visualise ideas,
• explain products,
• create emotions,
• tell stories -
  without a team, without a studio, without a budget.

My advice: Don't perfect - publish.

Many founders don't fail because of their technique, but because of their perfectionism.
They spend days working on a video that is then never published - because it's "not quite right yet".

Do it differently:

• Start with a raw idea.
• Test three variations with different hooks.
• Watch what is received.
• Learn. Repeat.

Because it's not the most perfect video that goes viral - it's the most memorable.

📊 How to generate viral attention (even without an advertising budget)

You don't need an advertising budget, an influencer network or millions of followers.
What you need is: a clever testing strategy - and a bit of courage to experiment.

I tried it out myself.
With a side project, no big goal, just to see: What really works?

My platforms for testing:

• TikTok: ideal for short-form content and brutal feedback. You immediately notice whether a video is a hit.
• Reddit: perfect for target group feedback. Especially subreddits such as r/ArtificialIntelligence, r/SideProject or r/InternetIsBeautiful.
• X (formerly Twitter): good for reach among tech-savvy target groups. Especially with threads or meme videos.

Formats I've tried:

1. Generic info videos

   Quote

   "What is V3? How does generative video AI work?"
   → Result: Hardly any views, no reactions. Too dry.

2. Mukbang-style with AI videos

   Quote

   AI-generated food clips with voiceovers ("Oh my God, this burger...")
   → Result: entertaining, but no viral potential. No clear context, no story.

3. Mini stories with a hook

   Quote

   e.g. "I'm not the only one.B. "I'm going to the mall today. People will stare at me."
   → Result: 370,000+ views, 10,000 likes, 700 new followers - with a single clip.

4. Comparison videos: Human vs. AI

   Quote

   "What would an AI agent say in your job interview?"
   → Result: good interaction, especially on Reddit. People love contrasts and irony.

What I have learnt:

• The hook is everything.
  The first 3 seconds decide whether someone stays - or scrolls on.
• Emotion beats information.
  Nobody clicks on a video because it is "well explained". But many do because they laugh, are surprised or feel addressed.
• Focus on a clear message.
  A clip - a message. Not a technical lecture. No feature fireworks. One feeling, one thought, one scene.
• Failure is inevitable.
  Some clips flopped completely - despite the effort. And that's okay. Because every flop has shown me what doesn't work.

💡 The formula: Attention → Interest → Sales

Viral attention is not an end in itself. It does you no good if it doesn't lead to interest - and interest to customers.
The good news: there is a clear way to get there. I call it the AIVOR formula:

Quote

Attention → Interest → Trust → Openness → Reaction

But the most important part is the first step: The bridge between scrolling and action.

From viral views to real users: Here's how

1. Getting attention (see previous sections)
   The hook, the emotion, the story - that's what brings people to you.
2. Immediately create relevance
   After the hook, you need a clear connection to the solution.
   Example: "What everyone is doing wrong with X - my tool shows it better."
3. Call to curiosity, not call to action
   Instead of a blunt "Buy now" → rather:
   "Want to know how it works? Link in the bio."
   People hate advertising, but they love solutions.
4. Landing page or link destination is crucial
   If you go viral, visitors need to understand immediately what they get out of it.
   No feature overkill. A promise that generates curiosity.

What many do wrong

Too many AI start-ups make this mistake:
They invest huge energy in product development - but zero in communication.

Marketing can't save a bad product.
But:
A good product without attention will never be discovered.

You need both:

• A solid foundation (product that solves a real problem)
• And a loud marketplace (content that gets seen)

The truth is:
Most of the products you see online are not the best on the market.
But they are the most visible. And visibility beats quality - at least in the short term.

In the long term, the winners are those who can do both.

🛠️ What you can do now

You don't need a big budget, a team or perfect skills. What you do need is the courage to become visible - and a clear first step.

Here is your mini action plan for the next 3 days:

Step 1: Test 3 hooks

Consider three short introductions for a video, e.g.

• "Did you know that an AI today ...?"
• "Most people make this mistake with ..."
• "I built my own tool because I was ... tired."

Test them with or without AI visualisation - the main thing is that you get a feel for reactions.

Step 2: Learn 1 tool

Choose one AI tool from this list and learn the basics:

• V3 for animated shorts
• Runway for cinematic effects
• Pika for simple scenes
• ElevenLabs for realistic voiceovers

YouTube tutorial, 1 hour time, let's go.
You don't need an agency, you need movement.

Step 3: Publish 1 video

Take your best hook concept and publish a video on TikTok, Instagram Reels or X.

Not perfect.
Not planned out.
Just get it out there.

Important: Look at the comments, likes, view time - that's your feedback. Not the opinion of your inner critic.

🧭 Conclusion: The AI wave is coming - but you need a surfboard

I admit it: I underestimated the topic of "attention" for a long time.
I thought it was about the best plugin, the cleanest architecture, the most stable API.
But in reality, it's about something else first:
Who gets seen at all?

The truth is uncomfortable:
The best ideas lose out to the louder ones.
Not because they are worse - but because nobody knows them.

Therefore my advice to you - and to myself:
Make noise.
But with substance.
Use generative AI not just to build tools - but to make them visible.

Because the AI wave is rolling in right now.
And you'll either be overrun by it -
or you'll grab a surfboard
and ride it.