Professionals across a multitude of sectors are watching the rise of artificial intelligence with growing unease, amid fears that the technology could replace large numbers of jobs. While some AI executives have acknowledged those concerns and called for limits on AI development, the CEO of one of the leading AI-powered search platforms has taken a more unapologetic stance, arguing that the long-term benefits outweigh the risks, even if this means the loss of employment.
Speaking on the All-In Podcast, Aravind Srinivas of Perplexity pointed to the United States’ entrepreneurial culture as a reason he is less concerned about widespread job losses tied to automation.
Concerns about displacement are not unfounded. A study by Goldman Sachs estimates that between 6% and 7% of workers could lose their jobs over the next decade, with the impact likely to fall unevenly—particularly if job losses coincide with an economic downturn.
Despite this, Srinivas maintains that the broader potential of AI justifies the disruption.
“[America has] been about trying to build new things, discover new things, go explore,” he said.
“I think this whole Henry Ford came and built factories and brought in jobs and things like that, and put people into a box. [...] But I think the reality is people—most people don't enjoy their jobs.”
Srinivas argues that AI could open new
“Suddenly a new possibility, a new opportunity,” he said, encouraging users to learn AI tools and start “your own mini-business.”
“If it pays for your needs for a year or multiple years and lets you have a high-quality life and good work-life balance, and true feeling of agency and ownership and passion to get your ideas out there, I think that is—even if there is temporary job displacement to deal with, that sort of glorious future is what we should look forward to.”
Clashing forecasts on AI’s impact
His optimistic outlook contrasts sharply with widely held concerns that AI-driven automation could significantly reduce the need for human labour. A recent report by the United States Senate warned that as many as 100 million jobs could be affected over the next decade in the US, a country whose labour market is significantly
Research from Goldman Sachs also highlights the human cost of past technological shifts, finding that workers displaced by innovation tend to face longer periods of unemployment and greater financial hardship compared to those laid off for other reasons.
By Nazrin Sadigova
