AI startup Perplexity has made a bold, unsolicited $34.5 billion cash offer to buy Google’s Chrome browser, hoping to capitalize on antitrust uncertainty and expand its reach in AI-powered search.
Perplexity, the San Francisco–based AI search startup, has made an unsolicited all-cash offer of $34.5 billion to acquire Google’s Chrome browser. The move comes amid intensifying antitrust scrutiny in the United States, with regulators reportedly considering forcing Google to divest Chrome as part of ongoing monopoly investigations.
The offer is notable given Perplexity’s current valuation, estimated between $14 billion and $18 billion, making the bid almost twice the company’s worth. Perplexity claims to have secured substantial backing from major venture capital firms to support the acquisition. The company’s proposal includes commitments to keep Chrome’s open-source Chromium development active, maintain Google as the default search engine while giving users more choice, and inject $3 billion into Chrome’s ecosystem over the next two years.
Industry observers see the bid as both strategic and symbolic, positioning Perplexity as a ready buyer if regulators compel Google to sell Chrome. The move is also a bold challenge to Google’s dominance in both the browser and search markets.
Analysts remain skeptical about the chances of success. Chrome is not officially for sale, and Google has yet to comment publicly on the proposal. Any forced sale would likely face lengthy legal battles, with Google expected to appeal monopoly rulings.
If successful, the deal would give Perplexity access to Chrome’s massive global user base and significantly expand its footprint in AI-driven search. Some valuations place Chrome’s worth between $20 billion and $50 billion or more, suggesting this offer could be the opening move in a much larger high-stakes negotiation.
Perplexity’s bid marks one of the most audacious acquisition attempts in recent tech history, and the coming months will reveal whether regulators, investors, and Google itself are willing to entertain the idea.
