Australians are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to manage household budgets and track spending as mounting cost-of-living pressures fuel demand for practical financial guidance.
One person capitalising on that trend is Ansh Punia, a 20-year-old cybersecurity student from Melbourne who earns up to $15,000 a month helping households and businesses use AI to improve productivity and cut expenses.
“The value isn’t in using AI just for the sake of it. It’s about solving a problem that was previously costing time or money,” he told the Daily Mail.
“It’s funny how the same technology can be applied to something as complex as a business financial system and something as simple as deciding what to cook for dinner.”
According to Mr Punia, customers are using AI to identify spending patterns, uncover recurring charges, create shopping lists, plan meals and automate routine administrative work.
Clients are also asking the technology to categorise expenses, flag forgotten subscriptions and create personalised fitness and budgeting plans designed to save both time and money.
“I was working in a warehouse while studying. Eventually, I realised that instead of simply learning these skills for myself, I could use them to help businesses solve real problems,” he said.
Mr Punia began searching for opportunities on Airtasker, the digital marketplace where people post jobs and hire others to complete everyday tasks within a set budget, from dog grooming to furniture assembly.
Ansh Punia (pictured) earns up to $15,000 a month helping households and businesses use artificial intelligence to boost productivity and lower costs
Mr Punia said more households were using AI to track spending, find recurring charges, create shopping lists and plan meals
OpenAI chief Sam Altman said ChatGPT now has one billion weekly users worldwide and 2.5 million businesses, underscoring its rapid rise as a mainstream consumer product
“At first, I took on smaller technical jobs and focused on building trust with clients,” he said.
“After I completed those projects, some clients returned with larger requirements. Over time, that developed into ongoing consulting work.”
Consumers and companies are now seeking more help incorporating tools such as ChatGPT into their everyday routines and operations.
OpenAI chief Sam Altman has said ChatGPT attracts one billion weekly users globally and 2.5 million businesses, reflecting its transformation from an office productivity tool into a mainstream consumer service.
Airtasker founder Tim Fung said demand for AI coaches on the platform had nearly doubled over the past year, with thousands of users paying experts to show them how to get more from the technology.
He said customers generally pay between $100 and $150 for assistance using AI in their personal or professional lives.
“More people want to bring AI into their daily lives to streamline routine tasks while saving money,” he told the Daily Mail.
“The technology is evolving constantly and moving at a rapid pace, which is driving a surge in demand for AI coaches on Airtasker.
Airtasker founder Tim Fung (pictured) said demand for AI coaches on the platform had almost doubled in the past year, with users typically paying $100 to $150 for guidance
“People who understand AI are using that knowledge to earn extra income on Airtasker by helping others use the technology in ways they had never considered.”
For Australians interested in AI but uncertain how to begin, Mr Punia recommends starting with the free version of ChatGPT and using it to solve one frustrating everyday problem.
“You don’t need programming experience to benefit from it. Much of the value comes from learning how to ask useful questions,” he said.
“Choose one problem you face regularly, whether it’s planning meals, writing a shopping list, understanding a bill or organising your weekly schedule.
“Once you see how helpful it can be for one task, you’ll naturally begin to discover other uses.”
For families, one of the simplest ways to benefit is to use AI to gain a clearer picture of household spending, he said.
“If someone is spending $30 to $40 on takeaway several times a week, AI can help create a meal plan, prepare a shopping list and suggest cheaper options that match their budget,” he said.
“Small changes can make a significant difference over a year. AI can also help users compare costs, make sense of confusing bills and uncover recurring subscriptions.
Mr Punia (pictured) said using AI to understand household spending was one of the easiest ways for families to save time and money
“It won’t magically reduce every expense, but it can help people make better-informed decisions without spending hours researching each option.”
The growing interest in AI comes as Australians continue to face financial pressure, with inflation at 4.3 per cent in the year to September and interest rates at their highest level since the 2008 global financial crisis.
Mr Punia said many people wrongly assume AI is designed only for younger users or those with strong technical skills.
“That’s simply not true. You can begin by having a conversation with it, asking for an explanation of something confusing or seeking help organising a task,” he said.
“I’d encourage people to experiment with something small rather than feeling they need to overhaul the way they work or live.”
However, he cautioned users against relying on AI to operate without supervision.
“AI can get things wrong, and in areas such as finance or healthcare, proper checks and human oversight are essential,” he said.