Perplexity CEO on why the browser is AI's killer app

Perplexity CEO on why the browser is AI's killer app

Author: The Verge July 17, 2025 Duration: 49:45
This is Alex Heath, deputy editor at The Verge. Nilay’s out on parental leave for the next few months, so I’ll be stepping in to host our Thursday episodes while he’s out. My guest today is Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, who is betting that the browser is where more useful AI will get built.  Perplexity just released Comet, an AI web browser for the Mac and Windows that’s still in an invite-only beta. I’ve been using it, and it’s very interesting. In this conversation, Aravind and I also discussed the future of Perplexity, the AI talent wars, and why he thinks people will eventually pay thousands of dollars for a single AI prompt. Read the full transcript here on The Verge. Links:  Perplexity just launched an AI web browser | Verge Perplexity wants to buy Chrome if Google has to sell it | Verge The Dia browser is a big bet on the. web and AI | Verge Perplexity’s CEO on fighting Google & the AI browser war | Command Line Perplexity launches a $200 monthly subscription plan | Verge Meta says it’s winning the talent war with OpenAI | Verge Meta is trying to win the AI race with money | Verge Meta held talks to buy Perplexity and others | Command Line Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s AI hiring spree | Command Line Perplexity is ready to take on Google | Command Line Credits: Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Ursa Wright.  The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the intersection of power, innovation, and consequence, you'll find Decoder with Nilay Patel. Hosted by The Verge's editor-in-chief, this isn't a typical business or technology podcast that simply recites the news. Instead, Nilay engages with founders, CEOs, legislators, and artists in substantive conversations that dissect the mechanics behind major decisions. The dialogue focuses on the real-world implications of big ideas, probing how today's choices in boardrooms and legislatures ripple out into society tomorrow. You'll hear guests articulate their toughest challenges, the trade-offs they've made, and the often-unseen forces shaping industries from social media and artificial intelligence to transportation and entertainment. Each episode is built on a foundation of genuine curiosity, aiming to unpack not just what is happening, but why it matters for the way we all live and work. Listening to this podcast feels like gaining access to a nuanced, behind-the-scenes briefing where strategy and philosophy collide. It's for anyone who suspects that the most important stories aren't the announcements themselves, but the human decisions, the unforeseen problems, and the ethical calculations that happen long before the headlines are written. Through these detailed conversations, Decoder provides a crucial lens on the architects of our modern world and the complex systems they are building, for better or worse.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Decoder with Nilay Patel
Podcast Episodes
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Google CEO Sundar Pichai on the next phase of AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:24
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Why Uber's CEO is okay with reinventing the bus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:28
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Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott on how AI can save the web, not destroy it [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:38
Today, I’m talking with Kevin Scott, the chief technology officer of Microsoft, and one of the company’s AI leaders. Kevin is one of my favorite repeat Decoder guests, and he joined the show this time to talk about the f…
Workday's new product head hopes he can make you like Workday [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:36
Today, I’m talking with Gerrit Kazmaier, the brand-new president of product and technology at Workday. Gerrit’s new on the job, maybe a little bit braver than most, and to his credit he came on the show and took the heat…

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