Perplexity AI, a generative AI search startup, has submitted an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash bid to acquire Google's Chrome browser in a bold strategic move.
The Wall Street Journal reports that despite the offer exceeding Google's estimated $18 billion valuation post-funding round, multiple investors including "large venture capital funds" have pledged full support for the acquisition according to company statements.
Established three years ago, the startup has secured approximately $1 billion in funding from investors including NVIDIA and Japan's SoftBank Group.
Best known for its flagship search product offering paragraph-based rich answers with citations, the platform enables users to input conversational English queries.
The company recently launched its own web browser named Comet, built on the open-source Chromium engine underlying Chrome. Comet extends Chromium capabilities with Perplexity's AI features, including default web search integration and an AI-powered sidebar for automating browser operations.
This proposal emerges as Google faces antitrust litigation over its dominant position in online search. Last year, a U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. ruled Google illegally maintained monopoly power in the text advertising market.
During the remedial phase determining how to address the monopoly and restore competition, Judge Amit Mehta is evaluating whether to force Google to sell Chrome. In recent testimony, CEO Sundar Pichai argued selling Chrome to competitors would harm Google's business operations.
Acquiring Chrome would grant the startup access to over 3 billion active users, representing significant growth potential in the AI search market.
The company promises to maintain Chrome's open-source nature without altering its core code if the bid succeeds. Terms reviewed by Reuters also state no changes to default search engines and a $3 billion two-year investment commitment.
This remains conditional on Google's willingness to part with Chrome, which appears unlikely given the company's intent to pursue lengthy legal battles to retain control.
Industry estimates suggest Perplexity's offer may undervalue Chrome's enterprise potential, with DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg estimating its worth at around $50 billion.
"Perplexity AI's $34.5 billion Chrome bid isn't just an aggressive acquisition attempt—it signals that browser control has become a pivotal battleground in the AI era," said Copyleaks Technologies co-founder and CEO Aaron Amir. "Whoever controls the gateway to the web wields immense influence over information access, prioritization, and trust metrics."
Perplexity isn't alone in targeting Chrome; OpenAI under Sam Altman expressed interest during the trial, while Yahoo and private equity firm Apollo Global also showed potential buyer interest in the browser.
