In the world of artificial intelligence, few names resonate with the same sense of innovation, persistence, and vision as Aravind Srinivas. Born on June 7, 1994, in the bustling city of Chennai, India, he has emerged as a pioneer in conversational search technologies, blending academic brilliance with entrepreneurial courage. As the CEO and co-founder of Perplexity AI, Aravind is not just building a company—he is shaping how the world accesses knowledge.
Aravind Srinivas: Early Life and the Seeds of Determination
Growing up in a Tamil family that valued education and intellectual curiosity, Aravind Srinivas was surrounded by an environment that nurtured ambition. His fascination with technology began early, but his journey was not without challenges. When he narrowly missed the cutoff for Computer Science in India’s grueling Joint Entrance Examination—by a mere 0.01 CGPA—he faced a moment of crushing disappointment.
Instead of letting this setback define him, Aravind embraced Electrical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The choice proved fortuitous. The rigorous program deepened his understanding of systems, computations, and problem-solving skills that would later become crucial in his AI research.
A Global Leap – From IIT Madras to UC Berkeley
Graduating in 2017 with dual degrees (B.Tech and M.Tech), Aravind set his sights on the world stage. He moved to the United States to pursue a Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, under the mentorship of AI luminary Pieter Abbeel. His doctoral thesis, “Representation Learning for Perception and Control”, explored the intricate relationship between machine learning, perception, and decision-making.
Berkeley was more than an academic milestone—it was the crucible in which Aravind’s entrepreneurial vision took shape. Surrounded by cutting-edge research and an ecosystem buzzing with innovation, he began to see how AI could be harnessed to make knowledge more accessible to everyone.
Aravind Srinivas: Research Roles at AI’s Powerhouses
Before stepping into the entrepreneurial arena, Aravind Srinivas built a formidable research portfolio:
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OpenAI – Worked on large-scale language and diffusion generative models, gaining firsthand experience in the systems powering AI breakthroughs.
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DeepMind – Developed a deeper appreciation for real-world AI applications, inspired by the story of Google’s transformation in In The Plex.
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Google Brain – Focused on computer vision and search-related technologies, insights that would later guide Perplexity’s architecture.
He also co-created the Berkeley course CS294: Deep Unsupervised Learning in 2020, making complex AI concepts accessible long before generative AI entered mainstream conversation. His ability to explain cutting-edge ideas with clarity became a signature skill, attracting a growing audience on Twitter (now X).
The Birth of Perplexity AI
In August 2022, Aravind co-founded Perplexity AI with Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski. Their vision was bold: replace traditional link-based search results with a conversational “answer engine” that delivers direct, cited responses. In a digital world flooded with information, Perplexity aimed to make knowledge consumption simple, accurate, and interactive.
The platform integrates multiple advanced AI models—including OpenAI’s GPT, Meta’s Llama, Mistral AI, and Anthropic’s Claude—into a seamless interface. Under Aravind’s leadership, Perplexity AI has grown to handle over 230 million queries every month, earning a $14 billion valuation by August 2025.
Funding, Growth, and Visionary Moves
Perplexity’s rapid ascent has attracted some of the biggest names in tech and finance. Jeff Bezos, Nvidia, Nat Friedman, Elad Gil, and former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki are among its high-profile investors. Notable funding milestones include:
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$26M – 2023 seed and early growth rounds
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$73.6M – January 2024, valuing the company at $520M
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$250M – April 2024, boosting valuation to $2.5–$3B
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$500M – December 2024, tripling valuation to $9B
Aravind’s boldest move yet came in August 2025, when Perplexity made a $34.5B offer to acquire Google Chrome—a symbolic and strategic push to challenge Google’s dominance in the search market.
Innovations Beyond Search
Perplexity is no longer just an “answer engine.” In 2025, it launched Comet, an AI-powered browser capable of executing tasks for users. Collaborating with Deutsche Telekom, the company also unveiled Magenta AI, a smartphone with built-in AI assistance, signaling a transition from information retrieval to proactive digital action.
The Publishers Program further reflects Aravind’s ethical vision—sharing revenue with content creators and combating plagiarism, echoing Spotify’s model of fair compensation.
Aravind Srinivas: Recognition and Awards
Long before his entrepreneurial fame, Aravind Srinivas was recognized for his academic talent:
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Viterbi India Fellowship
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Indian National Mathematics Olympiad Merit Awardee
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Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana Scholar
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National Talent Search Scholarship Recipient