Artificial intelligence search startup Perplexity has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google's Chrome browser, a move that thrusts the three-year-old company into the center of an ongoing antitrust battle over the future of online search.
The bid comes as Google awaits a decision from U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta on remedies in a landmark antitrust case that found the company maintained an unlawful monopoly in search. The Justice Department has recommended that Chrome be divested as part of the remedy - a proposal Google has vowed to appeal, calling it "unprecedented" and harmful to consumers and security.
Perplexity spokesperson Jesse Dwyer told CNN the company's proposal reflects its belief in "the open web" and would preserve Chrome's default settings, including Google as the search engine, if the acquisition were approved. The offer also includes a commitment to maintain support for Chrome for 100 months and invest $3 billion in Chromium, Google's open-source browser technology, over two years.
Founded by Aravind Srinivas, Perplexity has quickly positioned itself as a rival to Google in AI-powered search. Its platform uses large language models to parse and summarize information from across the web while providing links to sources. In July, it launched Comet, an AI-driven browser designed to integrate user calendars, tabs, and social channels.
The proposed acquisition would give Perplexity access to Chrome's estimated three billion users worldwide. "This is a smart and opportunistic move by Perplexity given the case against Google and regulatory scrutiny," said Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, who estimated Chrome's value at $50 billion.
Perplexity's valuation stood at roughly $18 billion after a $100 million funding round last month, according to Bloomberg. Backers of the proposed Chrome purchase include large venture capital firms, though the company has not disclosed the full financing plan. "Multiple funds have offered to finance the deal in full," Perplexity said, without naming them.
The company has made bold acquisition attempts before. Earlier this year, Perplexity expressed interest in buying TikTok's U.S. operations after Congress passed legislation requiring the app's Chinese parent, ByteDance, to sell or face a ban. Reports from Bloomberg and The Information have also suggested that Meta and Apple have explored acquiring Perplexity itself.
Google, valued at nearly $2.5 trillion, has not indicated any willingness to sell Chrome and is expected to fight any forced divestiture. Analysts note that Chrome plays a critical role in Google's AI ambitions, including the integration of AI-generated search summaries known as "Overviews."
Even if Judge Mehta orders a sale, legal experts say it could take years to resolve. "It would go to the DC Circuit, which is skeptical of forced divestitures, and it's possible it would even go to the Supreme Court," said Herbert Hovenkamp, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
