Perplexity's CEO says you should spend less time doom-scrolling and more time using AI

In a recent podcast, Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, urged listeners to redirect their time away from endless social media scrolling towards harnessing the power of artificial intelligence. Speaking with Matthew Berman, Srinivas emphasized the importance of using AI as a tool for personal and professional growth, stating, "Spend less time doom-scrolling on Instagram, spend more time using AI. This is your way to add value to the new society." Positioning Perplexity as an AI-driven alternative to Google, Srinivas stressed that individuals who become adept at using AI tools will find themselves at a significant advantage in the job market. He confidently remarked, "People who are at the frontier of using AI are going to be way more employable than people who are not. That's guaranteed to happen." However, he acknowledged that many individuals are struggling to keep pace with the rapid evolution of AI technology. "The human race has never been extremely fast at adapting," he noted, highlighting that the speed of AI advancements — often every few months — presents a unique challenge. "It can take a toll on people, and maybe they just give up." Srinivas warned that the inability to adapt to AI may lead to job losses for some. As industries increasingly adopt AI, he believes that new opportunities will arise, particularly for entrepreneurs. He stated, "Either the people who lose jobs end up starting companies themselves and make use of AI, or they learn the AI and contribute to new companies." Srinivas's insights align with growing concerns among tech leaders regarding AI's impact on the workforce. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, has predicted that AI could displace half of white-collar entry-level jobs within the next five years. He expressed concern that the risks associated with mass job displacement are not yet fully recognized by the public. On the other hand, some industry leaders, like Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang, maintain a more optimistic outlook. Huang believes that while jobs will change, they will not disappear entirely. He stated, "I am certain 100% of everybody's jobs will be changed. The work that we do in our jobs will be changed. But it’s very likely — my job has already changed." Ultimately, the ongoing discourse around AI's role in the workforce reflects a complex landscape of both challenges and opportunities as society grapples with these transformative technologies.