Part 4/12:
The founder acknowledges the skepticism he faced while developing Perplexity. Even seasoned investors questioned the viability of a product that avoided infamous AI mistakes, believing that users preferred character-driven interactions with different personalities. Against this backdrop, the commitment to a utility-first approach powered the evolution of Perplexity.
“It was really useful to us,” he remarks. With a drive fueled by necessity, Perplexity was crafted as a functional tool. The initial creation was not enshrined as an alternative to Google but was birthed out of an authentic need for reliable answers.