Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas says while AI may replace some jobs, it can also open doors for people to start businesses and pursue work they are passionate about. Those who adapt can turn disruption into opportunity.
As AI continues to advance at a rapid pace, concerns over job losses are growing. However, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas believes these fears may be overstated – and even unnecessary. Speaking on the All-In podcast at Nvidia’s GTC last week, he said that while AI may replace certain roles, it could also empower people to take charge of their careers and explore new ventures.
“The reality is that most people don’t enjoy their jobs,” Srinivas said, encouraging individuals to explore AI tools and consider launching small ventures or “mini businesses.” According to him, AI can help people sustain their financial needs while giving them the freedom to pursue work they truly care about.
“Even if there is temporary job displacement, it’s that kind of promising future we should be looking forward to,” he added.
Srinivas, who co-founded the AI search engine Perplexity in 2022 after working at Google’s DeepMind and OpenAI, has consistently positioned AI as a tool for individual empowerment. In an earlier interview, he urged people to “spend less time doomscrolling on Instagram and more time using AI.” Backed by investors such as SoftBank, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos, Perplexity is already exploring ways AI can drive entrepreneurship at scale.
Srinivas noted that as AI takes over repetitive and routine tasks, new opportunities will emerge for those who can effectively use these tools. “Either those who lose jobs will go on to start companies using AI, or they will learn to work with AI and contribute to new ventures,” he said. In fact, several AI-driven side hustles have already taken off. According to Business Insider, people are leveraging AI to create pitch decks, write children’s books, offer translation services, and even craft resumes for others.
Concerns around human jobs grow alongside AI adoption
While Srinivas presents AI as a gateway to opportunity, concerns about its impact are intensifying. Over the weekend, a group called “Stop the AI Race” staged protests outside Anthropic’s San Francisco office, urging a pause in AI development until stronger safety measures are in place. The protests later spread to other AI firms, including OpenAI and xAI, highlighting growing anxiety over job losses as well as the long-term risks of advanced AI systems.
Meanwhile, a recent study by Anthropic offers a more nuanced view. Jobs involving physical labour, human judgement, or direct interaction – such as agriculture, construction, repair, transportation, and personal care – remain relatively insulated from automation. In contrast, roles like software programming, customer service, and data entry are becoming increasingly vulnerable.
The report suggests that AI already handles nearly 75% of programming tasks and about 67% of data entry work. Even Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei acknowledged that, in the future, companies like his may require fewer software engineers, as AI models continue to improve at automating software development end-to-end.