Y Combinator Startup Podcast
How To Build The Future: Aravind Srinivas
Feb 21, 2025
Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO of Perplexity, shares his journey from an intern at OpenAI to leading a new AI-powered search engine. He explores how to compete with giants like Google, emphasizing the need for innovative user experiences. Discussions include the integration of AI in search, the importance of passionate hiring, and the challenges of scaling a tech startup. Aravind also highlights the role of user retention and feedback in shaping future products, paving the way for a new era in search technology.
34:38
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Quick takeaways
- Aravind Srinivas emphasizes the importance of unsupervised and reinforcement learning in developing generative models for advanced AI applications in search engines.
- The discussion reveals a focus on improving user engagement through innovative query reformulation techniques and the significance of user feedback for continual product enhancement.
Deep dives
The Journey to Perplexity
The creator's journey into the world of AI began with a profound interest in deep learning, stemming from his time as a PhD student at Berkeley. An internship at OpenAI significantly shaped his perspective when he was told that traditional research approaches were less important than focusing on unsupervised learning and reinforcement learning. This revelation led him to transition his studies toward generative models and unsupervised learning. Ultimately, he aimed to create a product that would integrate advanced AI with practical applications, particularly in search engines.
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