Indian-Origin CEO Of Perplexity AI Says He Should Get A Green Card. Elon Musk Responds With...

This isn’t the first time Musk has engaged in discussions about the US immigration system. Earlier, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO criticised the system.

The brief exchange between Musk and Srinivas quickly gained traction.

Source : X/Elon Musk

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has sparked buzz online with his succinct response to a post by Aravind Srinivas, the Indian-origin CEO of Perplexity AI. Srinivas, who has been awaiting a US green card for over three years, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts on the matter.

In a straightforward post, Srinivas wrote, “I think I should get a green card. Wdyt?” — an abbreviation for “What do you think?” Musk, never one to shy away from viral conversations, replied with a simple yet emphatic “Yes.”

Yes

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2024

The brief exchange between Musk and Srinivas quickly gained traction, with users weighing in on the challenges talented individuals face when navigating the US immigration system. Srinivas responded to Musk's support with a red heart emoji and folded hands emoticon, signalling gratitude.

Who Is Aravind Srinivas?

Aravind Srinivas co-founded Perplexity AI in 2022, a rising AI-powered search engine backed by high-profile investors, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Prior to leading Perplexity as CEO, Srinivas, an IIT Madras alumnus, earned his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley.

Srinivas’ career trajectory includes stints as a research intern at OpenAI, Google, and DeepMind. He eventually returned to OpenAI as a research scientist before venturing into entrepreneurship with Perplexity AI.

Not Musk’s First Take On US Immigration

This isn’t the first time Musk has engaged in discussions about the US immigration system. Earlier, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO criticised the system, calling it “upside down” for favouring illegal entries over legal pathways for skilled professionals.

Musk tweeted, “We have an upside down system that makes it hard for highly talented people to come to America legally, but trivial for criminals to come here illegally. Why is easier to get in illegally as a murderer than legally as a Nobel Laureate? @realDonaldTrump and DOGE will fix this.” DOGE here refers to the Department of Government Efficiency, the US government wing he will co-lead.

The ongoing discourse highlights growing concerns around immigration policies, particularly for highly skilled professionals like Srinivas, whose contributions drive innovation globally.