Why An Indian-Origin Engineer Left A Rs 2.89 Crore Meta Job To Build An AI Startup
Prakshal Jain has left his position at Meta to launch an AI startup called Mitosis Labs. Jain held a role at Meta for three and a half years, earning an annual salary of approximately Rs 2.89 crore. During his time there, he worked as a frontend engineer contributing to web and XR experiences, including the launch of Facebook and Instagram on Meta Quest.
After working in stealth mode for seven months, Jain and co-founder Alex Morris are moving to publicly showcase their vision. Jain attributes his career shift to his observation that AI assistants like ChatGPT and Claude Code have become his primary interface for technology. He suggests that the future of digital experience involves fewer apps and more intelligent agents.
To prove his theory, Jain built a personal AI agent trained on his own data. He claims this system reduced his iPhone screen time by 78% over three weeks. This experiment convinced him that the current tech landscape relies too heavily on interface design rather than robust intelligence layers. He believes that future platforms must prioritize data ownership and privacy as these agents become more capable.
Mitosis Labs has already developed three products, including Mitosis Cortex, Yappy, and UFA & Wikipedia. As he begins this new chapter, Jain aims to prove that AI-first technology can simplify workflows and reduce our dependence on complex mobile apps.