Perplexity CEO: Disrupting Google Search with AI
EP 97 of The Logan Bartlett Show: Untold stories from tech's inner circle
One of the most preeminent AI founders, Aravind Srinivas (CEO, Perplexity), believes we could see 100+ AI startups valued over $10B in our future. In the latest episode, we discuss…
why Perplexity decided to compete with Google
predictions for the utopian future of artificial intelligence
differences from working at both DeepMind and OpenAI
why personalized knowledge on demand could be a trillion dollar opportunity
And more…
Click here to view the episode transcript | Watch on Youtube | Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
✉️ Episode Memo
Why censoring AI responses is a bad idea
Aravind supports Perplexity providing direct answers to sensitive questions (ex: questions on how to harm yourself or others) instead of censoring AI responses. While disclaimers are important, he argues for unrestricted access to knowledge, with AI helping guide towards wise choices.
Motivated people will find the information they want, so there’s no point in trying to virtue signal and stop people from getting answers. Besides, who's to say they're not going to use the info for something positive? Regardless, Perplexity’s users naturally avoid more dicey questions due to its scholarly nature.
Bet on iteration > genius
Aravind emphasizes “if you're not a genius, the only chance you have to succeed is to iterate.” Give yourself more shots at success by shipping sooner. Many founders get caught up thinking they need to get things perfect in the first version, but getting instant feedback from users who can help you think clearly is much more useful to get things right and reduce information overload.
Don’t think, just launch (& remember Larry Page’s toothbrush test)... a great product is only worth executing on if it has a path to being used twice a day, like a toothbrush.
Why competing with Google actually made sense
After Perplexity gained initial traction, almost everyone advised Aravind to seek venture capital to focus on a specific vertical, arguing that horizontal growth wouldn't attract funding. However, one investor advised Aravind that choosing a niche would lead to guaranteed failure, noting that nearly all vertical search engines have become obsolete. Motivated by this, Perplexity embraced competing with Google despite the challenge.
More predictions on the future of artificial intelligence in the full episode.
⭐ Trailer
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