Perplexity AI Makes $34.5 Billion Unsolicited Bid for Google’s Chrome Browser
SAN FRANCISCO — Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI has made an unexpected $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, according to multiple reports. The bold move comes as the U.S. Department of Justice pushes for Chrome’s divestiture following Google’s loss in a major antitrust case last year.
A High-Stakes Play in the AI Search Wars
Perplexity — best known for its AI-powered search engine and recently launched Comet browser — says venture investors are willing to fund the deal, despite the offer being nearly twice the startup’s $18 billion valuation. The company has raised about $1 billion from backers including Nvidia and SoftBank.
If successful, the acquisition would give Perplexity access to Chrome’s 3+ billion users, a massive potential boost in its competition with AI search rivals such as OpenAI and Meta.
Regulatory Pressure on Google
The DOJ has argued that forcing Google to sell Chrome would weaken its dominance in online search by breaking its control over a key “gateway to the internet.” Chrome, launched in 2008, is also a major source of user data for Google’s ad-targeting business.
Google has called the DOJ’s remedy “wildly overbroad” and is appealing the ruling. Analysts expect the company to fight hard against any forced sale, making Perplexity’s bid more symbolic than likely.
Terms of the Offer
According to a term sheet seen by Reuters, Perplexity has pledged to:
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Keep Chrome’s underlying Chromium code open source
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Invest $3 billion over two years in development
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Maintain Google as the default search engine
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Preserve user choice and promote competition
What’s Next
A federal judge is expected to rule on the remedies in Google’s antitrust case later this month. Until then, Chrome remains firmly in Google’s hands — but Perplexity’s surprise bid underscores how valuable browsers have become in the race to dominate AI-powered search.