In a blunt message for Gen Z and Millennials, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas urges a shift from passive social media consumption to active AI engagement. His warning: “Spend less time doomscrolling on Instagram; spend more time using the AIs.” This counsel underscores a pivotal truth—mastering AI tools will define future employability.
A Stark Warning on Instagram Addiction
In a recent conversation with tech interviewer Matthew Berman, Srinivas criticized endless Instagram scrolling as a drain on both time and potential. He cautioned that while AI innovations emerge every three to six months, many individuals lag behind, unable to adapt rapidly enough. His directive is clear: ditch doomscrolling and dedicate those hours to AI literacy.
AI Fluency: A Job Market Imperative
According to Srinivas, fluency in AI tools isn’t optional—it’s a career necessity. “People who really are at the frontier of using AIs are going to be way more employable,” he asserted. As routine intellectual tasks fall to automation, AI proficiency will distinguish those who thrive from those left behind.
Adapt or Face Displacement
Srinivas warns that the pace of AI evolution is “testing the limits” of human adaptability. With AI updates rolling out frequently, stagnation is not an option. The consequence of inaction could be job loss—especially in white-collar, repetitive roles. As industry leaders like Dario Amodei and Geoffrey Hinton have also predicted, up to 50% of such entry-level positions could vanish within five years.
Entrepreneurship: The New Frontier
But Srinivas doesn’t paint a picture of doom without hope. He encourages displaced workers to become entrepreneurs—to either innovate with AI in new startups or upskill to contribute to companies leading AI adoption. He emphasizes that AI skills empower individuals to pivot into roles that AI itself is creating.
Browser as AI Agent: Perplexity’s Strategic Vision
Srinivas exemplifies AI’s real-world impact through Comet, Perplexity’s browser-based AI agent. He envisions AI performing tasks such as candidate sourcing, follow-ups, scheduling, and brief automation—essentially doing the job of a recruiter in a single prompt. Comet represents a paradigm where the browser acts as a personal AI assistant, streamlining workflows while users enjoy entertainment or contemplation.
Democratizing AI Access—But With a Caveat
Currently in beta and available via subscription, Comet is gradually expanding, including invitations to free users, though advanced features remain premium. Srinivas suggests a broader rollout is imminent, especially as Perplexity enters discussions to pre-install Comet on smartphones—alongside partnerships like Airtel offering Perplexity Pro subscriptions to users.
India-born CEO Pushing a Global Agenda
Born in 1994 in Chennai and educated at IIT Madras and UC Berkeley, Aravind Srinivas co-founded Perplexity in 2022. Under his leadership, the company has become a voice for AI literacy, viewing tools not merely as novelty but pillars of modern professional competence and opportunity.
Why This Matters
- SEO Keyword Integration
- doomscrolling on Instagram
- spend more time using the AI
- Perplexity CEO advice
- AI fluency employability
- learn AI tools
- Actionable Messaging
Srinivas urges youth toward active learning over passive scrolling, underscoring a path to future relevance. - Real-World Use Case: Comet
Demonstrates how AI can simplify daily tasks, freeing users to invest time in creative or intellectual pursuits. - Economic & Employment Context
AI literacy is positioned not just as a skillset but as a key survival strategy in a shifting job landscape.
Final Word
Aravind Srinivas’s message is both urgent and empowering: to secure tomorrow’s opportunities, today’s youth must pivot from Instagram doomscrolling to mastering AI tools. In a world where technology evolves in cycles of just months, AI fluency isn’t optional—it’s essential. Whether that means launching a startup, upskilling, or leveraging browser-based AI, the path forward demands action. So the question remains: are you scrolling past your future, or investing in it?
Photo Credit: Getty Images
