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2h ago

Perplexity Named Most Likely to Fail in Cerebral Valley Poll, With OpenAI Second

An informal Cerebral Valley poll captures rising doubts about whether fast‑growing AI startups can turn reach into sustainable revenue.

For Perplexity, the vote doesn’t necessarily spell doom.
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Overview

  • Independent journalist Eric Newcomer ran the informal, anonymous survey of 300‑plus founders and investors at the San Francisco conference.
  • Attendees showed mixed sentiment as Anthropic led investable picks and OpenAI placed second, while Perplexity and OpenAI topped the list of likely flops.
  • Perplexity dismissed the result, with spokesperson Jesse Dwyer quipping that it sounded like the “judgmental valley conference.”
  • Coverage highlights concerns about Perplexity’s sustainability, citing reliance on third‑party models, distribution hurdles, rapid fundraising, and a reported one‑year free Perplexity Pro offer to Bharti Airtel’s 360 million customers.
  • Doubts about OpenAI include questions over valuation and infrastructure costs, even as CEO Sam Altman pointed to strong demand in a recent exchange with investor Brad Gerstner.