AI search engine, Perplexity, says it’s ready to cough up $34.5 billion in cash to buy Google’s Chrome browser — a bid that would dwarf the AI startup’s own $18 billion valuation.
The timing is not subtle, of course, as the (unsolicited) offer lands as Google faces a possible DOJ-ordered breakup following a federal court ruling that it illegally monopolized the search market. One proposed remedy is forcing Google to sell Chrome, which has more than 60% of the global browser market.
Perplexity claims that multiple funds have committed to financing the deal. It also promises to to keep Chrome’s underlying Chromium code open, retain Google Search as the default (with an easy opt-out), and invest an additional $3 billion in Chrome and Chromium over two years. The offer includes no equity in Perplexity, a move it says is intended to avoid antitrust complications.
Why This Matters:
On paper, the bid would catapult Perplexity into the most valuable real estate in consumer internet history. But, in reality, it’s hard to see this as anything other than a headline grab. The company is in the process of launching and scaling Comet, its own AI-powered browser, and the Chrome bid neatly positions it as a plausible player in any eventual divestiture scenario — even if the offer is never really entertained.
Weirdly, by keeping Google Search as Chrome’s default, Perplexity’s proposal avoids making the kind of competitive changes regulators might push for. Again, that raises questions about whether the offer is aimed at the courtroom or the press room.
Experts React:
Here are some reaction posts on X about the bid:
Hey, Grok also had a good take:
Our Take:
Perplexity isn’t trying to buy Chrome — not really. The company’s real goal seems to be some solid PR as the upstart challenger ready to step into Big Tech’s turf, and, hey, this is a cheap, headline-friendly way to do it.
PS, If anyone were to be acquired, wouldn’t it be Perplexity?
