Perplexity AI has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, a move that would give the three-year-old startup control of one of the most widely used gateways to the internet. The proposed price far exceeds Perplexity’s own $14 billion valuation and underscores the stakes in the rapidly intensifying race for AI-driven search.
Led by CEO Aravind Srinivas, Perplexity is known for bold acquisition attempts. In January, it proposed a merger with TikTok’s U.S. operations to address concerns over the app’s Chinese ownership. Other potential suitors for Chrome include OpenAI, Yahoo, and Apollo Global Management, as regulators increase pressure on Google’s dominance in the search market.
Google has not commented on the offer and has no plans to sell Chrome. The company is appealing a U.S. court ruling that found it held an unlawful monopoly in search, a case in which the Justice Department has sought a Chrome divestiture as a potential remedy.
Perplexity did not detail how it would fund the deal but said multiple unnamed investment funds have offered full financing. Backed by investors including Nvidia and SoftBank, the startup has raised about $1 billion to date. Alphabet shares rose 1.6% after the bid was announced.
Browsers are increasingly critical to Big Tech’s AI ambitions, serving as direct conduits to search traffic and valuable user data. Perplexity already operates an AI browser called Comet, but acquiring Chrome’s more than three billion users would dramatically expand its reach and competitive edge against companies like OpenAI, which is developing its own AI browser.
Analysts doubt Google would agree to the sale, noting Chrome’s role in its AI strategy, which includes new features like AI-generated “Overviews” in search results. Legal experts say any forced divestiture could face years of appeals.
“Judge Mehta is a pretty orthodox guy,” said Herbert Hovenkamp, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. “It’s very possible he would hold off on requiring a sale until the appeals process is worked out… and that could be a very lengthy period of time.”
Perplexity’s bid is also well below the $50 billion minimum value suggested by DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg if Google were compelled to sell Chrome.
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