https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/04/perplexity-ceo-offers-ai-companys-services-to-replace-striking-nyt-staff/ [tc-lockup] TechCrunch Desktop Logo [tc-lo] TechCrunch Mobile Logo * Latest * Startups * Venture * Apple * Security * AI * Apps * Events * Podcasts * Newsletters Sign In Search [ ]Submit * Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Commerce Crypto Enterprise EVs Fintech Fundraising Gadgets Gaming Google Government & Policy Hardware Instagram Layoffs Media & Entertainment Meta Microsoft Privacy Robotics Security Social Space Startups TikTok Transportation Venture More from TechCrunch Events Startup Battlefield StrictlyVC Newsletters Podcasts Videos Partner Content TechCrunch Brand Studio Crunchboard Contact Us Sign In Aravind Srinivas, Co-Founder & CEO of Perplexity, speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt 2024Image Credits:Kimberly White for TechCrunch / Getty Images Media & Entertainment Perplexity CEO offers AI company's services to replace striking NYT staff Devin Coldewey 1:43 PM PST * November 4, 2024 The CEO of AI search company Perplexity, Aravind Srinivas, has offered to cross picket lines and provide services to mitigate the effect of a strike by New York Times tech workers. The NYT Tech Guild announced its strike Monday, after setting November 4 as its deadline months earlier. The workers represented provide software support and data analysis for the Times, on the business side of the outlet. They have been asking for an annual 2.5% wage increase and to cement a current two days per week in-office expectation, among other things. "But the company has decided that our members aren't worth enough to agree to a fair contract and stop committing unfair labor practices," the guild wrote on X. "They have left us no choice but to demonstrate the power of our labor on the picket line," said Kathy Zhang, the organization's unit chair, in a statement. The NYT's publisher, AG Sulzberger, criticized a strike two days ahead of the U.S. presidential election, saying in a statement, "Hundreds of millions of people are depending on The Times's journalism on Election Day and afterward, and it is troubling that the Tech Guild would try to block this public service at such a consequential moment for our country." Picketers demonstrated in front of the NYT building in New York as negotiations continued. Meanwhile, on X, formerly known as Twitter, Perplexity's CEO offered to step in for the striking workers. Replying to Semafor media editor Max Tani quoting the publisher, Srinivas wrote: "Hey AG Sulzberger @nytimes sorry to see this. Perplexity is on standby to help ensure your essential coverage is available to all through the election. DM me anytime here." [srini-nyt] Many on X immediately castigated Srinivas for acting as a scab -- a derogatory term for people willing to perform the jobs of striking workers. It is widely considered a disreputable behavior in matters of labor and equity. By undercutting collective action, scabs limit the ability of workers to bargain with those in positions of power. Srinivas may simply be trying to make sure people have the information they need on election day. The company has lately unveiled its own elections info hub and map. But to offer its services explicitly as a replacement for striking workers was bound to be an unpopular move. Though TechCrunch asked Perplexity for comment, Srinivas responded to TechCrunch's post on X saying that "the offer was *not* to 'replace' journalists or engineers with AI but to provide technical infra support on a high-traffic day." The striking workers in question, however, are the ones who provide that service to the NYT. It's not really clear what services other than AI tools Perplexity could offer, or why they would not amount to replacing the workers in question. (However, in response to the clarification, we have opted to change the headline to reflect the claim that this offer was not necessarily specific to AI services.) The NYT and Perplexity aren't exactly on the best of terms right now. The Times sent Perplexity a cease and desist letter in October over the startup's scraping of articles for use by its AI models. In a conversation last week with TechCrunch, the normally outspoken CEO declined to define "plagiarism." Topics AI, Aravind Srinivas, Media & Entertainment, new york times, Perplexity, TC Most Popular * ChatGPT Search is not OpenAI's 'Google killer' yet + Maxwell Zeff * Vanguard cuts Indian rideshare startup Ola's valuation to $2B + Manish Singh * Threads now has 275M monthly active users + Ivan Mehta * OpenAI has hired the co-founder of Twitter challenger Pebble + Kyle Wiggers * Why Wiz really turned down Google's $23B offer + Cody Corrall * The biggest underestimated security threat of today? Advanced persistent teenagers + Zack Whittaker * Decart's AI simulates a real-time, playable version of Minecraft + Kyle Wiggers Author Avatar Devin Coldewey Writer & Photographer Devin Coldewey is a Seattle-based writer and photographer. He first wrote for TechCrunch in 2007. His personal website is coldewey.cc. View Bio Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry's biggest tech news TechCrunch Daily News Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch's coverage. TechCrunch AI TechCrunch's AI experts cover the latest news in the fast-moving field. TechCrunch Space Every Monday, gets you up to speed on the latest advances in aerospace. Startups Weekly Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. No newsletters selected. [ ] Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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