The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has made many people worried about AI agents automating their jobs. However, Aravind Srinivas, the CEO of Perplexity AI, believes that these job losses may only be temporary and part of a bigger change. He said this During an appearance on the “All In” podcast, filmed at last week’s Nvidia’s GTC conference
Short-term impact on jobs
Aravind Srinivas said that AI could replace some jobs in the beginning, especially those involving repetitive tasks. Companies may reduce their workforce as machines become more efficient.
But he explained that this is not new. In the past, new technologies have also replaced jobs at first, but later created new types of work and industries.
Opportunities for small businesses
Instead of seeing AI only as a threat, Aravind Srinivas believes it could help people start their own businesses. With AI tools, individuals can now do work that earlier required large teams.
For example, people are already using AI for content writing, translation, and other freelance services. This means more people can earn independently rather than depending only on full-time jobs.
AI can assist people
Aravind Srinivas says AI should be seen as a helpful tool. People who learn how to use AI can find new opportunities, even if their current jobs are affected.
He believes many workers will either start their own businesses or work in new AI-based roles, leading to more flexible jobs.
“The reality is most people don’t enjoy their jobs,” he said. Instead of corporate grinding, learn how to use AI tools and “start your own mini business,” he noted.
Tech Industry of different view
Many tech leaders have warned that AI could cause large-scale unemployment. But Srinivas offers a more positive view—he believes the changes will lead to new opportunities in the long run.
In the end, the impact of AI will depend on how quickly people adapt and learn to work with new technologies.
Aravind Srinivas recently praised Google for its strength in delivering a fast and reliable web search experience. In a social media post highlighting the Comet browser’s availability on iOS, Srinivas explained why the browser defaults to Google Search, even though Perplexity powers its own AI assistant.
In a detailed thread on X (formerly Twitter), he clarified that the iOS version of Comet prioritizes Google Search by default, a setup that differs from the desktop version of the browser.