Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has once again captured the internet’s attention, this time with a succinct response to Indian-origin CEO Aravind Srinivas’s post on X (formerly Twitter).
Srinivas, CEO and co-founder of the AI-powered search engine Perplexity AI, had posed a candid question about his immigration status. “I think I should get a green card. Wdyt?” Srinivas wrote in his post, referencing his three-year wait for permanent residency in the United States.
The post elicited a flurry of responses; however, Musk's straightforward one-word response—"Yes"—became a viral sensation, inciting extensive discourse and commentary on various social media platforms. Srinivas responded to Musk’s endorsement with a red heart emoji and a folded hands emoticon, further amplifying the online buzz.
I think I should get a green card. Wdyt?
— Aravind Srinivas (@AravSrinivas) December 14, 2024
Musk’s response has reignited discussions about the U.S. immigration system, particularly the challenges faced by highly skilled professionals seeking legal residency.
This isn’t the first time Musk has engaged with Srinivas’s posts. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO has previously commented on similar topics raised by the Perplexity AI founder, reflecting Musk’s ongoing advocacy for reforming immigration policies to attract global talent.
In a related post days earlier, Musk had criticized the system, writing, “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 it easier to get in illegally as a murderer than legally as a Nobel Laureate?”
This pointed critique has resonated with many, shedding light on the struggles of talented individuals like Srinivas, who has a strong academic and professional background.
The interaction between Musk and Srinivas has been widely shared, with many users praising Musk for his direct support of talented immigrants. Some have used the viral exchange to highlight the broader issue of green card backlogs, which disproportionately affect highly skilled professionals from countries like India.
Aravind Srinivas is an alumnus of IIT Madras and holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. His career began with research internships at OpenAI, Google, and DeepMind, before he returned to OpenAI as a research scientist. In 2022, he co-founded Perplexity AI, an innovative search engine backed by high-profile investors, including Jeff Bezos.
Under Srinivas’s leadership, Perplexity AI has become a rising star in the artificial intelligence space, blending cutting-edge technology with intuitive user experiences.
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login