Is Perplexity’s “answer engine” posing a threat to Google’s dominance?
Aravind Srinivas, a PhD student at the University of California, Berkeley, had a unique journey that led him to co-found Perplexity, a generative-AI startup valued at $1bn. This innovative company offers rapid, Wikipedia-like responses to search queries, aiming to challenge Google’s search supremacy. Srinivas, drawing inspiration from disruptive models, sees his “answer engine” as a formidable competitor to Google, akin to Martin Luther challenging the Catholic church.
Srinivas, a disruptor at heart, contrasts the cultures of OpenAI and DeepMind, highlighting how disruptive approaches can reshape traditional hierarchies. He applies disruption theory to analyze Alphabet, Google’s parent company, identifying vulnerabilities using insights from “The Innovator’s Dilemma” by Clayton Christensen. While many believe that Google is at risk from generative-AI technologies like ChatGPT and You.com, Srinivas’ perspective offers a fresh take on the situation.
2024-05-02 08:15:55
Original post available at www.economist.com