In the latest episode of the podcast The WTF is?, Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath sat down with Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, for a candid conversation on his early life, his deep-rooted passion for AI and ML, and the choices that shaped his career. The discussion offered a rare glimpse into Srinivas’s mindset, tracing his path from Chennai to Koramangala, and eventually to the forefront of the global AI landscape.
Key Highlights:
Internship Days and the Bengaluru Trade-Off
Reflecting on a three-week internship in Bengaluru, Aravind Srinivas admitted he barely stepped out of his apartment in Koramangala, choosing instead to immerse himself in work. “I just worked all the time. Looking back, maybe I should’ve explored Bangalore a bit more,” he said with a smile.
Nikhil Kamath, however, reassured him: “Focusing on work was probably the better choice.” Srinivas agreed in hindsight, noting Bengaluru’s infamous congestion. “The traffic was bad back then, and I hear it’s even worse now. So staying in and working was probably a smart move,” he remarked.
Still, there was one thing about the city he didn’t miss—the weather. “It was awesome compared to Chennai,” Srinivas said, pointing out the stark difference in climate between the two cities.
Early Life and Entry into AI
Growing up in Chennai, Srinivas described the academic pressure he faced. “There was always this push to excel,” he shared. His passion for AI and ML began when he joined a Kaggle competition, which ignited his curiosity about how machines learn. “That was my entry into AI. It wasn’t just about winning—it was about understanding how models learn from data.”
A graduate of IIT Madras, Srinivas emphasized that his love for work isn’t about chasing goals, but about the thrill of solving problems. “I enjoy it. I love the intellectual challenge, learning new things, staying curious,” he explained.
Why Work Drives Him
For Aravind Srinivas, work is more than a duty—it’s a source of energy. “I’m really proud of that,” he said. When asked why he works so hard, his answer was simple: “Because I love doing it.”
One of the standout moments in the podcast was his recollection of a detailed conversation with AI podcaster Lex Fridman, who quizzed him rigorously on AI principles, neural networks, and even business strategy. “He really tested me. I thought I had it all figured out, but he pushed me,” Srinivas admitted. “I live for those kinds of conversations—they’re rare.”
Curiosity Over Credentials
Srinivas also stressed the importance of asking questions—no matter how basic they may seem. Quoting Confucius, he said:
“You might feel foolish for a moment when you ask, but you’ll be a fool forever if you don’t.”
This philosophy, he added, applies not just to AI, but to life and leadership.
In this wide-ranging conversation with Nikhil Kamath, Aravind Srinivas revealed the personal values that guide him: curiosity, persistence, and focus. From dodging Bengaluru traffic to building the next wave of AI innovation, Srinivas’s journey is marked by deep thinking and deliberate choices.
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