Indian American entrepreneur and AI researcher Aravind Srinivas is quickly emerging as one of the most influential voices in the AI space. As co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, Srinivas is challenging how the world interacts with information online, offering a bold alternative to traditional search engines like Google.
Launched in 2022 alongside Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski, Perplexity skips the usual clutter of blue links and instead delivers direct, conversational answers with transparent sourcing. While tools like ChatGPT lean heavily into chatbot-style exchanges, Perplexity’s focus has been on clarity, accuracy, and trust that have helped it gain serious traction in a short time.
READ: Perplexity plans expansion to India, partners with Airtel (July 18, 2025)
Now valued in the billions, the platform is expanding globally. In a significant move aimed at tapping into India’s massive digital audience, Srinivas recently struck a deal with Bharti Airtel, giving 360 million of users across the country free access to Perplexity Pro for an entire year. It’s a strategic partnership that not only boosts Perplexity’s presence in India but also aligns with Srinivas’s larger goal of making high-quality AI tools more widely accessible.
Currently, Perplexity AI has a valuation around $18 billion by July 2025 with user base of over 30 million active users and 780 million monthly queries, as per the Financial Express.
Perplexity AI is also exploring new ground with its AI-powered browser, Comet, which is built to prioritize voice-based navigation and natural language interaction. The browser is geared toward enterprise use cases and aims to support content creators through revenue-sharing partnerships, signaling a broader push to integrate AI into both business workflows and the digital publishing ecosystem.
READ: Perplexity AI crosses $100 million in annualized revenue, says Aravind Srinivas (March 27, 2025)
Driven by a strong interest in machine learning, Srinivas taught himself Python and actively participated in Kaggle competitions, where he sharpened his data science skills. His growing expertise earned him an internship with renowned AI researcher Yoshua Bengio, an experience that played a key role in shaping his decision to pursue a PhD in Artificial Intelligence at UC Berkeley.
He has consistently advocated for a future where AI serves users with integrity, prioritizing transparency, reliability, and usefulness over hype. In an industry often driven by buzzwords and billion-dollar valuations, he’s carving out a space for thoughtful, purpose-driven innovation. Also,
Srinivas has made it clear that he intends to keep Perplexity independent, with any talk of going public likely on the table only after 2028.