Immigrant Innovators: Aravind Srinivas Cofounder & CEO, Perplexity

Navigating the Intersection of Innovation and Immigration

Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, embodies the journey of a visionary immigrant transforming the technological landscape while confronting the complexities of the U.S. immigration system. His story resonates with many skilled professionals striving to make impactful contributions amid bureaucratic challenges.

Early Life and Academic Pursuits

Born on June 7, 1994, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Srinivas exhibited a passion for technology from a young age. He pursued a dual degree (B.Tech and M.Tech) in Electrical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, graduating in 2017. During his time at IIT Madras, he discovered the world of machine learning through friends in computer science and an encouraging professor, Professor Balaraman Ravindran, who championed cross-departmental learning. This early exposure to deep learning and reinforcement learning laid the foundation for his future endeavors.

Srinivas’s academic journey continued at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science in 2021. His research focused on reinforcement learning, generative models, and representation learning, contributing to advancements in artificial intelligence.

Founding Perplexity AI

In August 2022, Srinivas co-founded Perplexity AI alongside Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho. The startup, based in San Francisco, set out to revolutionize the search engine industry by integrating large language models (LLMs) to deliver conversational and context-aware search results. Unlike traditional search engines that provide a list of links, Perplexity aims to generate direct answers with inline citations, enhancing the user’s search experience.

Entrepreneurial Endeavors and Immigration Challenges

Despite his professional achievements, he has faced prolonged delays in securing permanent residency in the United States. In October 2024, he publicly shared his ongoing three-year wait for a green card, highlighting the unpredictability of the immigration process. This experience underscores the systemic challenges faced by skilled immigrants in the U.S.

Community Engagement and Advocacy

Srinivas’s disclosure sparked widespread discussion among immigrants and industry leaders. Elon Musk criticized the U.S. immigration system, questioning why it is easier for criminals to enter illegally than for highly skilled individuals to immigrate legally. This discourse underscores the systemic challenges faced by skilled immigrants in the U.S.

Fostering Curiosity Through AI

In a conversation with Lex Fridman, Srinivas spoke passionately about the role of AI in fostering curiosity and engagement. He emphasized that AI systems should not only retrieve information but also inspire users to delve deeper into their questions. This vision reflects Srinivas’s own relationship with knowledge: an unyielding pursuit of understanding and clarity.

These principles formed the bedrock of Perplexity AI, a search engine designed to provide not just answers but meaningful, context-rich responses with inline citations. Srinivas’s curiosity-driven philosophy extends beyond technology—it serves as a bridge connecting his early academic explorations in India to his current work redefining search in Silicon Valley.

Balancing Innovation with Immigration Realities

While leading Perplexity AI to significant milestones, including a $3 billion valuation, Srinivas continues to navigate the complexities of the U.S. immigration system. His experience reflects the broader narrative of immigrants who, despite their contributions, encounter substantial hurdles in their pursuit of permanent residency.

A Vision Beyond Borders

Aravind Srinivas’s journey from a curious student in India to a tech leader in the U.S. embodies the spirit of immigrant resilience. His path has been defined by curiosity, innovation, and perseverance in the face of systemic barriers. While his achievements are monumental, his continued challenges with immigration underscore the need for reform to support skilled individuals contributing to society at the highest levels.

By fostering curiosity through AI and navigating the complexities of the immigration system, Srinivas represents the transformative power of immigrants in shaping the world. His story serves as a beacon of inspiration for those who dream beyond borders and a call for systemic changes to empower the next generation of immigrant innovators.