Perplexity AI has made an audacious $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser. The unsolicited bid arrives amid mounting antitrust pressure on the tech giant.
The AI-powered search startup, valued at roughly $14–18 billion, said the purchase would give it immediate access to Chrome’s more than three billion users. It also promised to preserve the browser’s open-source foundation.
The proposal comes as the U.S. Department of Justice and a federal judge weigh remedies to curb Google’s dominance in online search. One option on the table is forcing Google to divest Chrome, which holds over 63% of the global browser market.
Perplexity framed its offer as a ready-made solution for regulators. It pledged to keep the Chromium project open source, invest $3 billion into the platform over the next two years, and retain Google as the default search engine—while giving users the option to change it.
“We believe this move will democratize access to the web and foster innovation,” said Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas.
The company says unnamed venture capital funds have committed to financing the entire deal, despite its size being more than double Perplexity’s market valuation. Analysts say this level of backing suggests strong belief in Perplexity’s long-term vision.
Srinivas added that the acquisition would create a natural integration between Chrome and the company’s AI-driven search and browser product, Comet. This would position Perplexity to compete more directly with Google Search and Microsoft’s Bing.
Comet, launched earlier this year, combines AI-powered search with real-time browsing features. It has gained traction among tech-savvy users looking for alternatives to traditional search engines.
Google’s Silence and Perplexity’s Rising Ambition
Google has given no indication it is willing to sell Chrome. It is actively appealing recent antitrust rulings, including a landmark case that could reshape its advertising and search businesses.
Industry analysts note that even if regulators order a divestiture, Google could delay the process through legal appeals for years. The company has a long history of fighting regulatory actions, often successfully.
This is not the first time Perplexity has pursued a high-profile acquisition. Earlier this year, it explored a merger or purchase of TikTok’s U.S. operations, a move that ultimately fell through due to political and regulatory hurdles.
Some observers see the Chrome bid as a calculated publicity push to raise Perplexity’s profile in the crowded AI market. The startup has grown rapidly since its founding in 2022, attracting attention for its conversational search capabilities and minimalist design.
Regardless of Google’s response, the offer signals the startup’s ambition to move beyond its AI search roots into the core infrastructure of how billions access the web.
“We’re not just building a better search engine—we’re reimagining the browser itself,” Srinivas said.
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