Tech executives are continuously trying to one-up each other on the misfortune set to hit the job market from AI. But Perplexity’s CEO suggests people should be happy to be unemployed.
Speaking on a podcast at Nvidia’s GPU Technology Conference last week, CEO Aravind Srinivas claimed most people do not like their jobs and that AI will free them to pursue entrepreneurship.
“The reality is most people don’t enjoy their jobs,” Srinivas said on the All-In podcast. “There’s suddenly a new possibility, a new opportunity, to go use these tools, learn them, and start your own mini business… Even if there is temporary job displacement to deal with, that sort of glorious future is what we should look forward to.”
While not exactly great news for those who like their careers, Srinivas pointed to Perplexity’s work on agentic AI as providing tools for people to create their own small businesses without funding or additional employees. The startup recently launched Personal Computer, an always-on agent that can perform tasks for a user while they sleep, such as answering emails, taking and scheduling events, all autonomously.
In this scenario, a small business owner selling T-shirts out of their garage may not need to hire an administrative or inventory assistant, although much of this can already be automated with a third-party logistics service.
Warnings from the tech execs
Warnings have come from a range of tech executives about the scale of disruption AI could bring, with some of the loudest voices coming from those developing the models themselves. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is most frequently cited (prior to the Pentagon incident), warning of widespread displacement and calling for support for workers and entire sectors.
He is not the only person who sees universal basic income as a potential response to displacement. Several economists have proposed government intervention to support those affected and provide a safety net for people to switch roles and learn new skills.
How bad will displacement be?
There is another side to the argument, however, which suggests job displacement may not be as severe as some executives claim.
Advisory firm Oxford Economics has said it found little evidence that AI was the root cause of recent job losses in the tech sector, accusing companies such as Block, Inc. and Meta Platforms of “AI-washing” redundancies, when the real cause was overhiring during Covid.
Another study suggests displacement will not be systemic, but concentrated in a smaller set of roles that are highly exposed to AI and have low adaptability in the labour market. These include roles such as secretaries, customer service agents, and office clerks. Other roles, such as personal financial advisors and digital designers, may see responsibilities reduced but are likely to have the adaptability to weather the shift and transition into new positions.
Also read: Anthropic has launched a research institute to examine how AI affects jobs, governance, and security as concerns about labor disruption keep growing.