Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas has weighed in on the current debate over whether Google’s enormous product lineup will ever be disrupted. The Indian-origin entrepreneur explained that while some Google products might be challenged, others are so deeply rooted that they might be ‘impossible’ to replace.
Aravind Srinivas responded to a user on X who argued that no startup can overcome the Google ecosystem. This statement includes apps such as Gmail, YouTube, Maps, Drive, and Chrome. The Perplexity CEO said, “YouTube and Maps are the hardest. Maybe even impossible. The rest are hard but doable.”
When another user had remarked that YouTube and Maps are hard to clone because they are ‘not products’ but ‘networks,’ Srinivas concurred, responding with ‘Accurate.’
YouTube’s success lies in its vast pool of creators and user-generated content. This is further enhanced by combining recommendation algorithms and retention loops that keep viewers engaged.
Google Maps, on the other hand, has received years of data tuning. These updates and modifications include user input, carrier instructions, and business listings. This offers a virtually unbeatable advantage in worldwide mapping accuracy.
Constructing alternatives, according to experts, will require substantial capital, ingenuity, and time, something only a few can afford.
Despite this, Srinivas has positioned Perplexity AI as a challenger to Google’s supremacy in search and browser tools. “The internet is too important to be left in Google’s hands,” he wrote in a separate post, underlining the need for decentralized innovation.
His comments also come amid India’s renewed push for ‘Swadeshi’ or Made-in-India digital platforms amid rising trade tensions with the US.
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Reacting to Srinivas’ post, MapmyIndia, the Indian digital mapping company behind Mappls, said it has been building maps “since 1995, down to house-number-level detail.”
Tagging Perplexity and Zoho, the company added, “Like we’ve proudly partnered with @Zoho, we’d love to partner with @perplexity_ai too.”
The exchange highlights a shifting tech landscape in which homegrown innovators are increasingly confident about challenging global giants.