Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas Speaks Out

In a bold statement, Aravind Srinivas, cofounder and CEO of Perplexity AI, has publicly disagreed with Nandan Nilekani's approach to artificial intelligence development in India. While acknowledging Nilekani's monumental contributions to India's tech landscape, Srinivas emphasizes the critical need for India to focus on both model training and application development to truly excel in AI.

Investing in India's AI Future

Srinivas has pledged personal support towards building India's foundational AI capabilities, offering $1 million and his time to qualified initiatives. His vision is clear: India must not only leverage existing models but also invest in creating globally competitive AI models, underpinned by a commitment to open-source principles.

Learning from Global Success Stories

Drawing parallels with India's achievements in space exploration and recent advancements by Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, Srinivas argues for a balanced approach. He believes India can replicate its cost-effective, high-impact project successes in the AI domain, challenging the notion that significant progress requires excessive spending.

A Call to Action for India's AI Ecosystem

Srinivas's comments come at a pivotal moment for India's AI ecosystem, highlighting the importance of strategic resource allocation. With global giants like OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank making substantial investments in AI infrastructure, the debate between focusing on foundational models versus application-based innovations is more relevant than ever.