AI-powered answer engine Perplexity made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer on Tuesday to acquire Google's Chrome browser, a bold move amid mounting antitrust pressure on the search giant.
The offer far exceeds Perplexity’s own valuation of about $18 billion, but the AI startup said multiple venture capital funds have committed to fully finance the deal, though it declined to name them, signalling the startup’s ambition to become a major player in both the browser and search markets.
Industry estimates value Chrome broadly between $20 billion and $50 billion or more, placing Perplexity’s offer roughly in the middle. Other potential bidders, including OpenAI, Yahoo, and Apollo Global Management, have reportedly expressed interest, indicating a competitive landscape.
The bid comes amid ongoing legal proceedings. In 2024, US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google illegally monopolised the search market and is now considering remedies to restore competition, including a possible forced sale of Chrome.
The offer arrives just days before Judge Mehta is set to rule on Google’s future, potentially compelling the tech giant to spin off its prized browser amid the antitrust case. Perplexity’s unsolicited offer appears designed to demonstrate to the court that a capable, independent operator is ready should the sale be required.
Perplexity initially showed interest in acquiring Chrome in April, telling the court it would prefer Google keep the browser open source rather than see it acquired by a company like OpenAI, which has also expressed interest.
This isn’t Perplexity’s first high-profile acquisition attempt; earlier this year, it made a similar unsolicited offer to take over TikTok’s US operations amid national security concerns.
Founded in 2022, Perplexity uses a blend of advanced AI models, including OpenAI’s GPT variants like GPT-4, Anthropic’s Claude, and its own proprietary models Sonar and R1 1776, combined with real-time web search to deliver up-to-date, source-cited answers. It has also developed its own AI-powered browser, Comet, which assists users with tasks such as webpage summarisation and tab management.
Controlling Chrome, which holds more than 60% of global browser traffic and serves over three billion users worldwide, would give Perplexity unprecedented reach and a significant advantage over larger rivals like OpenAI, which is reportedly working on its own AI browser. The offer includes commitments to maintain Chrome’s open-source Chromium codebase, invest $3 billion over two years to improve the browser, and keep Google as the default search engine while allowing users the freedom to switch if desired.
Google has not publicly commented on the bid. Although Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet, has previously opposed any forced breakup of Chrome, warning that it could harm user privacy, security, and stifle innovation. Google plans to appeal Judge Mehta’s ruling, signalling a likely prolonged legal dispute ahead.
