Mon Feb 10 04:22:30 UTC 2025: ## Perplexity AI CEO Defies Musk, Claims $500B USAID Funding Secured
**Washington D.C.** – Aravind Srinivas, the Indian-origin CEO of AI search engine Perplexity AI, has ignited a firestorm by publicly claiming he has secured $500 billion in funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In a provocative tweet directed at Elon Musk, Srinivas issued a challenge: “Stop me if you can.” This bold statement comes just days after President Trump and Musk called for the agency’s closure, and amidst a federal judge’s temporary halt to a plan placing 2,200 USAID workers on paid leave.
Srinivas, a former OpenAI research scientist and alumnus of IIT-Madras and UC Berkeley, co-founded Perplexity AI in 2022 with backing from prominent investors including Jeff Bezos. While the specifics of how Srinivas allegedly secured the massive sum remain unclear, his defiant post has sparked intense debate and scrutiny regarding USAID’s funding and operations. The veracity of Srinivas’ claim is currently unverified. This unprecedented development throws a spotlight on the ongoing controversy surrounding USAID’s future and the increasingly prominent role of AI in global finance and politics.
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