San Francisco, July 22, 2025 — Aravind Srinivas, CEO and co-founder of AI research startup Perplexity, has delivered a strong message to the younger generation: reduce time spent on social media and prioritize learning artificial intelligence (AI) to remain relevant in the evolving job market.
In a recent interview with Matthew Berman, Srinivas emphasized the urgent need for digital upskilling. “Spend less time doomscrolling on Instagram; spend more time using the AIs,” he said, adding that fluency in AI tools is rapidly becoming a key factor in employability.
> “People who are at the frontier of using AIs are going to be way more employable than people who are not. That’s guaranteed to happen.”
AI’s Rapid Pace Outpacing Human Adaptability
Srinivas noted that AI technology is advancing at a rate many people are struggling to match. “The field is moving in cycles of three to six months. The human race has never been extremely fast at adapting,” he warned.
According to him, this growing gap between technological innovation and human adaptability poses significant risks for those not actively reskilling. He underscored the importance of continuous learning in an era where the nature of work is being redefined.
Shift in Employment Landscape
Srinivas acknowledged that while many routine and entry-level jobs are likely to be replaced by AI, individuals have two clear paths forward: become creators leveraging AI to build new businesses, or learn enough to contribute meaningfully to existing AI-driven companies.
His views echo warnings from other tech leaders. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has estimated that up to 50 percent of entry-level white-collar roles could be automated within the next five years. Geoffrey Hinton, known as the “Godfather of AI,” has also cautioned that AI will replace many cognitive roles.
On a more optimistic note, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently stated that while AI will alter jobs, it won’t eliminate them entirely, suggesting a transformation rather than a collapse of employment structures.
AI Replacing Recruiters?
Srinivas offered a real-world example of AI’s potential impact on office roles. During an appearance on The Verge’s Decoder podcast, he explained how Perplexity’s AI-powered browser, Comet, could soon automate many recruitment tasks — from sourcing and follow-ups to scheduling interviews and preparing briefs.
“A recruiter’s work worth one week is just one prompt,” he said, emphasizing how automation is increasingly capable of handling end-to-end workflows without human intervention.
Comet’s Limited Access — For Now
Currently, Comet remains available only to paying subscribers. However, the company has begun rolling out invitations to free users and plans a broader release soon. Srinivas confirmed in a recent Reddit AMA that while basic features will become widely accessible, more advanced, agent-style capabilities will remain behind a subscription wall.
About Aravind Srinivas
Born in India in 1994, Aravind Srinivas studied computer science and co-founded Perplexity AI to build advanced AI-powered search engines. The company focuses on delivering accurate, conversational responses to user queries, competing directly with traditional search platforms.
His broader message to the public — particularly to younger audiences — is simple but urgent: AI is not just a tool, but a foundational skill for the future. Those who adapt will thrive; those who ignore it may be left behind.