Perplexity AI has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer for Google’s Chrome browser. The surprise bid is more than double Perplexity’s own valuation and aims to capture Chrome’s billions of users in the race for AI-driven search.
The three-year-old startup, led by Aravind Srinivas, is known for bold moves. In January, it offered to merge with TikTok’s U.S. operations to address concerns about Chinese ownership. Now, it joins OpenAI, Yahoo, and Apollo Global Management in expressing interest in Chrome as regulators push Google to loosen its grip on search.
Google has not indicated any interest in selling Chrome. The company is appealing a U.S. court ruling that found it held an unlawful search monopoly. The Justice Department has suggested Chrome could be sold as part of the remedies.
Perplexity has raised about $1 billion from investors including Nvidia and SoftBank. It says multiple funds have pledged to fully finance the offer but did not name them. The company also operates an AI browser, Comet, and sees Chrome’s three billion users as key to competing with larger rivals like OpenAI.
The proposal includes keeping Chrome’s code open source, investing $3 billion over two years, and leaving Google as the default search engine. Analysts doubt Google will sell and expect a lengthy legal battle if regulators attempt to force a divestiture.
A ruling on possible remedies in the antitrust case is expected this month. However, legal experts warn that appeals could drag on for years, delaying any sale well beyond 2025.
