Perplexity offers Google $34.5B for Chrome amid antitrust pressure
In a bold move that has sent ripples through the tech industry, AI search startup Perplexity has made an unsolicited all-cash offer of $34.5 billion to acquire Google’s ubiquitous Chrome browser and its underlying Chromium open-source project. The audacious bid comes as Google faces intense scrutiny from U.S. antitrust regulators, with a federal judge poised to rule on potential remedies, including a forced divestiture of Chrome, later this month.
Perplexity, an AI-powered search engine founded in 2022 and recently valued at approximately $18 billion, is offering nearly twice its own worth to seize control of the world’s most popular web browser. The company asserts that “multiple large investment funds” and venture capital firms have committed to fully finance the proposed acquisition, signaling serious intent despite the significant financial outlay.
This aggressive proposition is strategically timed to leverage Google’s ongoing legal battles. A U.S. District Judge ruled last year that Google unlawfully monopolized online search services, and federal prosecutors have since advocated for Chrome’s sale as a crucial step to restore competition. Perplexity’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, has framed the offer as “designed to satisfy an antitrust remedy” by placing Chrome with a “capable, independent operator,” aiming to ease regulatory concerns.
Beyond the regulatory angle, acquiring Chrome would grant Perplexity immediate access to its staggering user base, estimated at over 3 billion individuals globally. This vast distribution channel and the invaluable user data it generates are seen as pivotal assets in the escalating AI search race, enabling Perplexity to significantly refine its AI models and directly challenge established giants like Google and OpenAI, which has also reportedly expressed interest in Chrome. Perplexity itself recently launched its own Chromium-based AI browser, Comet, underscoring its ambition in the browser space. This isn’t the first time Perplexity has made a high-profile bid; earlier this year, it offered to merge with TikTok’s U.S. operations amid regulatory pressure on the video-sharing app.
Google, however, has consistently pushed back against the notion of selling Chrome, arguing that such a divestiture would harm consumers, developers, and American technological leadership. The tech titan has stated its intent to appeal the antitrust ruling and has not indicated any willingness to part with Chrome, which remains central to its broader AI strategies, including features like AI-generated search summaries. Analysts suggest that Google would likely engage in a protracted legal battle to prevent a forced sale, viewing Perplexity’s offer as potentially more of a public relations maneuver than a likely transaction.
Should the deal miraculously proceed, Perplexity has outlined several commitments: it pledges to keep the underlying Chromium code open-source, invest $3 billion over two years into Chrome and Chromium development, and maintain Google as the default search engine (while allowing users the freedom to change it). Furthermore, Perplexity has indicated it would extend job offers to a substantial portion of Chrome’s existing talent. This strategic offer highlights the renewed importance of web browsers as critical gateways for search traffic and user data in the age of AI.