‘Cut Down on Instagram, Learn AI or Get Left Behind’: Perplexity CEO’s Message to Gen-Z

Perplexity CEO — In a candid message that’s rapidly gaining attention across tech and education circles, Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas has urged youngsters to “spend less time doomscrolling on Instagram and more time learning AI,” adding that those fluent in artificial intelligence will soon be “far more employable than those who are not.”

Srinivas’s comments come at a time when AI-powered tools are seeing massive adoption across industries, and his own company—valued at over $1.5 billion—has just launched a browser that could automate large chunks of white-collar work.

AI Will Replace Two Common Jobs, Says Srinivas perplexity CEO

Speaking to The Verge and several Indian media outlets, Perplexity CEO Srinivas said his company’s new AI browser ‘Comet’ could effectively replace two key job roles in most companies:

  1. Recruiters, and
  2. Executive/administrative assistants.

“Tasks like sourcing candidates, sending follow-up emails, updating spreadsheets, scheduling meetings, even writing briefing notes — these can all be done through a single prompt in Comet,” Srinivas said. “A week’s worth of work, done in a few clicks.”

He added that many young professionals risk being “left behind” if they fail to learn how to use AI tools:

“The people who are truly using AI at the frontier — they’re going to be far more employable. That’s guaranteed.”

What Is Comet and How It Works

Comet is an AI-native browser built by Perplexity, designed to go beyond traditional search engines. Instead of showing links, it acts as a task assistant — reading and summarizing articles, drafting emails, booking flights, managing calendars, and even analyzing LinkedIn profiles to find the right job candidates.

According to the company, Comet can:

  • Summarize YouTube videos and articles instantly
  • Auto-compose emails and documents
  • Integrate with Gmail, Google Calendar, and spreadsheets
  • Search, recommend, and automate workflow without leaving the browser

It is currently in beta, with access available via invite to premium users.

Why Experts Are Paying Attention

Perplexity CEO

Perplexity’s bold claims have resonated with experts and CEOs across sectors. A report by The Economic Times highlights that Comet could eliminate repetitive desk jobs — including entry-level data analysts and administrative roles. This adds to a growing concern in the industry:

  • Anthropic’s CEO has warned that up to 50% of entry-level white-collar roles could vanish within 5 years.
  • Ford Motor Company’s CEO, Jim Farley, recently echoed similar sentiments about automation replacing back-office staff.

Even Geoffrey Hinton, often called the “Godfather of AI”, has cautioned that automation is rapidly moving into domains once considered safe from machine learning.

‘Build or Learn’ — Two Options for the Future

Perplexity CEO, Srinivas believes that while some roles will disappear, new ones will emerge — for those who learn to work with AI or build tools using it.

“Either start companies or join ones building with AI. Adapt fast,” he said. “The world is changing every six months now.”

He emphasized that there’s a major opportunity for those who:

  • Learn to prompt and instruct AI efficiently
  • Build workflows using AI tools like Comet
  • Understand how to integrate AI into business tasks

A Wake-Up Call for the Instagram Generation

The CEO’s message is as much a call to action as it is a warning:
“Spending hours every day scrolling on Instagram or reels isn’t going to help your career. Start investing in AI literacy — or you’ll be replaced by someone who did.”

Quick Facts: What’s Happening

  • Comet browser by Perplexity is capable of replacing recruiters & executive assistants
  • Perplexity CEO Srinivas says AI skills will determine employability in the near future
  • Over 780 million queries were handled by Perplexity in May 2025 alone
  • Comet is already in talks to be pre-installed on smartphones, per Reuters
  • Job loss due to AI predicted across tech, HR, and back-office roles globally

Final Take

As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, tools like Comet are setting the pace for workplace automation. Perplexity’s CEO is simply saying what many in the tech world already believe: those who don’t adapt may soon be left behind — not by chance, but by design.

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