The AI race has taken a new turn, with AI startup Perplexity making a $34.5 billion bid to acquire Google’s Chrome browser. This strategic move is timed to capitalize on Google’s ongoing U.S. antitrust lawsuit, where the company faces the possibility of a court-ordered breakup of its alleged monopoly, including the forced sale of Chrome.
Perplexity’s unsolicited bid positions the startup as a major player in the potential restructuring of Google’s assets, putting it in competition with rival OpenAI, which has also shown interest in the browser. Despite its own $18 billion valuation, Perplexity’s Chief Business Officer has assured that “multiple large investment funds have agreed to finance the transaction in full.”
The company is working to preemptively address potential concerns from both users and regulators. Perplexity has promised a “commitment to continuity,” vowing not to make any “stealth modifications” to the browser. The offer is also structured to not include any equity in Perplexity, a move designed to alleviate any antitrust issues related to the deal itself. Google has yet to respond to the offer.
This isn’t the first time Perplexity has attempted to acquire a major internet property facing regulatory pressure; it previously made an offer to merge with TikTok’s U.S. operations. For AI companies, web browsers are increasingly seen as a vital platform for deploying AI agents. If the deal is successful, Perplexity has pledged to invest $3 billion over two years into Chrome and Chromium and to retain a significant portion of its existing workforce.
