An American executive employed at Perplexity AI in the US has thanked Indian CEO Aravind Srinivas as the reason for his employment as a US citizen. Dmitry Shevelenko, Chief Business Officer at Perplexity AI, credited Srinivas for creating over 100 job opportunities in the US, including his own, despite Srinivas only working on a visa, as opposed to a green card or an American citizenship.

This expression of gratitude comes at a time when there is a huge debate over immigration in the US. Shevelenko made his thoughts known and highlighted the importance of skilled immigrants and entrepreneurs in the American economy.

Aravind Srinivas co-founded Perplexity AI in 2022 in the US. The company has taken on Google with its AI-driven search engine, with investments from notable figures like Jeff Bezos and organisations like NVIDIA, which is spearheading the AI hardware and chipset revolution itself. Despite his meteoric rise and the recognition received by his company, Srinivas still works on a visa and has faced multiple difficulties in getting a US green card, highlighting systemic issues in the immigration process. He recently tweeted saying he should get a green card and X CEO Elon Musk was in complete agreement.

Shevelenko’s post sparked a debate in the comments section, with some users criticising Srinivasan’s decision to establish a company in the US, and not in India. Others argued that talented individuals should be allowed to grow and contribute to any country, regardless of their origin.