Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas Tells Nikhil Kamath Why He Didn't Explore Bengaluru

Aravind Srinivas, the co-founder of Perplexity, did not explore Bengaluru when he interned for three weeks in the city. The reason was the city's traffic.

On Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath's WTF Online podcast, Mr Srinivas said he mostly stayed at his flat in Koramangala and prioritised work above leisure. "I think I was in this place called Koramangala...I didn't actually explore," he said.

"I just worked all the time. Now that I look back I probably think I should have explored," Mr Srinivas admitted.

But the IIT Madras graduate added that he had no regrets about not exploring the Silicon Valley of India, considering Bengaluru's infamous traffic.

"I remember the traffic being bad back then, and I hear it's even worse now. So, staying in and working was probably a smart move," Mr Srinivas said.

The weather, however, caught his attention. "I do remember the weather was awesome compared to Chennai. I think the weather was much better," he added.

Speaking on a range of other subjects, Mr Srinivas said his interest in machine learning grew after he entered a Kaggle competition. "That was my entry into AI," he said.

"It wasn't just about winning-it was about figuring out how machines learn from data," he added.

Mr Srinivas said he's always prioritised work, adding, "I'm really proud of that."

Asked why he pushes himself so hard, the Perplexity CEO replied he "enjoys" it and that it's "not about chasing some goal to scale," it's about what he loves doing.

On Mr Kamath's podcast, Mr Srinivas also recalled a memorable conversation with AI podcaster Lex Fridman, who extensively questioned him about neural networks, AI fundamentals, and even Google's commercial strategy.

He also stressed how important it was to ask questions, no matter how simple they might appear.

Mr Kamath and Mr Srinivas also discussed the most significant developments in AI, India's place in this rapidly evolving field, where the true prospects are, and what is being missed, among other topics.