Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas’ advice to youngsters: How to stay competitive in the AI era

We live in an era where artificial intelligence is evolving at breakneck speed, and the way we spend our time may be the ultimate career-defining choice. For Aravind Srinivas, CEO and co-founder of Perplexity AI, the message to the younger generation is loud and clear: ditch the Reels, pick up the tools.

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His candid advice underscores a growing concern among tech leaders: too many young people are consuming content instead of creating value. As AI begins to reshape every white-collar industry, Srinivas believes the single most important thing Gen Z can do is master AI tools – not just use them, but understand how to harness them for productivity, creativity, and impact.

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Also read: Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas thinks Google Search and Chrome browser are doomed: Here’s why

From scrolling to building

“Reels won’t build your future,” Srinivas said in a recent interview. While the line was meant to shock, it also reflects a deeper cultural shift. With platforms like Instagram and TikTok dominating the attention economy, many young people are passively spending hours each day engaging with short-form content. But Srinivas warns that attention is the new currency, and how you invest it will determine your place in the AI-powered economy.

He points to tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity’s own Comet browser, and a growing list of intelligent agents that can now automate tasks that once took hours, from scheduling meetings and parsing data to writing, coding, and research. The message is simple: learn to use these tools before they replace the job you were training for.

AI isn’t coming, it’s here

Srinivas’s sense of urgency comes from his vantage point leading one of the world’s fastest-growing AI startups. Perplexity AI has built a reputation for offering real-time, cited answers, making it a direct rival to search engines like Google. Its newest innovation, the Comet browser, is an AI-powered assistant that performs multi-step tasks with ease. Srinivas claims it could eventually replace two jobs at once: the executive assistant and the operations manager.

This isn’t theoretical. It’s already happening. And it’s why he believes every student, freelancer, and early-career professional needs to treat AI fluency like digital literacy. “People who are good at using AI tools are going to be much more employable than people who are not,” he said.

Also read: Why Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas sees AI browsers as key to AI agents

According to industry forecasts, including from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, up to 50% of current white-collar jobs may be automated within the next five years. While that may seem dystopian, Srinivas is optimistic for those who choose to act.

What separates the AI-savvy from the AI-displaced isn’t just technical skill. It’s curiosity, experimentation, and mindset. Srinivas urges young people to move beyond simply using AI to do homework or generate captions. Instead, he wants them to experiment, create automations, explore workflows, and build side projects that reflect how AI can solve real-world problems.

He also pushes for depth over novelty. Instead of chasing every new viral tool or prompt hack, learn how foundational models work. Understand prompt chaining, APIs, and the basics of machine learning. These skills not only future-proof your career but open doors to entirely new ones – whether as a founder, researcher, or creative technologist.

Ditch Instagram? Or use it differently?

Srinivas isn’t calling for a total social media blackout. Instead, he’s challenging Gen Z to be intentional. Use platforms to learn, not just escape. Replace 30 minutes of Reels with a YouTube tutorial on LangChain. Trade one scroll session for an hour in ChatGPT or Perplexity. Create before you consume.

The digital landscape is shifting quickly, and the winners will be those who learn to surf the wave, not those drowning in the feed. AI is not just another tool in your productivity stack. It’s the infrastructure of the future economy. And as Srinivas puts it, those who know how to wield it will not just stay employed, they’ll shape what comes next.

Also read: Perplexity is the new OpenAI? Why both Meta and Apple want to buy it

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Vyom Ramani

A journalist with a soft spot for tech, games, and things that go beep. While waiting for a delayed metro or rebooting his brain, you’ll find him solving Rubik’s Cubes, bingeing F1, or hunting for the next great snack. View Full Profile