Fired by Elon Musk, Ex-Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal Launches AI Startup

Anand SwamiAnand SwamiAug 17, 2025

Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal is making waves again, this time with a bold new startup called Parallel Web Systems Inc. After his high-profile exit from Twitter (now X) in 2022 following Elon Musk’s takeover, Agrawal has shifted gears to focus on the future of artificial intelligence. His latest venture, founded in 2023, is a cloud-based platform designed to supercharge AI systems with large-scale web research capabilities. Based in Palo Alto, Parallel has already attracted $30 million in funding from heavyweights like Khosla Ventures, First Round Capital, and Index Ventures.

Agrawal’s vision is clear: the internet, built for human users, needs a drastic overhaul to serve AI, which he calls the web’s “second user.” Parallel aims to create a “programmatic web” tailored for machines, enabling AI to process vast amounts of data efficiently while maintaining transparency and fairness. With a 25-member team, the company is already powering millions of research tasks daily for startups and public enterprises alike.

A New Internet for AI

Parallel’s core idea is to reimagine how AI interacts with the web. Unlike humans who browse a few pages at a time, AI systems need to sift through massive datasets, process information for hours, or extract facts instantly at scale. Agrawal argues that the current web, driven by clicks, ads, and paywalls, isn’t built for this. Parallel’s solution is a unified infrastructure that combines data, computation, and reasoning to deliver actionable insights.

The company’s Deep Research API is a standout, reportedly surpassing both human researchers and leading AI models, including GPT-5, on challenging benchmarks. This API is already being used by fast-growing AI companies to integrate web intelligence into their platforms and by a public company to automate workflows with human-level accuracy.

Key Principles Driving Parallel

Parallel is built on a set of forward-thinking principles to shape the future of the internet:

  • Unified Infrastructure: Combining data, compute, and reasoning to produce insights, not just static documents.
  • Declarative Interfaces: Allowing AI to specify what it needs, with the system handling the how.
  • Transparent Attribution: Crediting every source to ensure fairness and accountability.
  • Open Markets: Rewarding contributors economically to sustain an open web.

Agrawal emphasizes that without adapting to AI’s needs, the internet risks fragmenting into walled-off silos, limiting access to valuable knowledge.

What’s Next for Parallel?

Parallel’s mission is to create a web that fosters “abundance” for AI systems. By enabling AI to directly request and process information, the platform simplifies research while ensuring sources are credited and contributors are rewarded. This approach could transform how AI companies operate, from coding agents debugging issues to enterprises automating complex tasks.

With $30 million in the bank and a growing team, Parallel is poised to make a significant impact in the AI space. Agrawal’s LinkedIn post hints at the platform’s early success, noting its role in powering millions of research tasks daily. As AI continues to evolve, Parallel could play a pivotal role in shaping how machines interact with the vast knowledge of the internet.

Written by

Anand Swami

A seasoned writer with a lifelong passion for automobiles, he specializes in car and bike latest news, updates, and reviews. He's dedicated to exploring and sharing insights on the evolving motoring landscape.