Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI has made an unexpected $34.5 billion bid to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, a move confirmed on Tuesday. The offer surpasses Perplexity’s current valuation, but the company says it has secured commitments from multiple investors to finance the deal. Just last month, Perplexity was valued at $18 billion following a funding extension that had initially valued the startup at $14 billion earlier this year.
Google’s Response and DOJ Context
Google has not yet commented on the offer. The bid follows the U.S. Department of Justice’s proposal that Google divest Chrome as part of an antitrust case the company lost last year. A federal judge found Google guilty of maintaining an illegal monopoly in internet search. The DOJ argued that divesting Chrome would stop Google from controlling a key gateway to the internet and allow rival search engines fairer access to the browser market. Google has described the DOJ’s proposal as “wildly overbroad” and accused the agency of pursuing a “radical interventionist agenda.”
Perplexity’s AI Ambitions and Market Moves
Perplexity is best known for its AI-powered search engine, which delivers concise answers and links directly to source material. Recently, it launched Comet, its own AI-driven browser. The company has been aggressively competing in the generative AI market, alongside players such as Meta and OpenAI, with tech giants and startups alike pouring billions into AI infrastructure, talent, and large language model development.
Earlier this year, Meta reportedly approached Perplexity with acquisition interest, though no deal materialized. Perplexity has a history of bold strategic moves, including a January proposal to merge with TikTok amid uncertainty over the video app’s U.S. future. That deal structure, however, has yet to take shape.
Launched in 2008, Chrome is one of Google’s most valuable tools for gathering user data to power its advertising business. The DOJ’s filings after the antitrust ruling emphasized that removing Chrome from Google’s control could shift market dynamics, giving competitors a more level playing field. Chrome’s reach and influence make it a strategic asset for any company aiming to challenge Google’s dominance in search and internet access points.
What The Author Thinks
This bid from Perplexity is as much a gamble on politics as it is on technology. Unless regulators force Google to sell Chrome, there is little chance the deal will even reach negotiation. Perplexity’s public offer may be more about sending a signal to investors and regulators that it is ready to challenge the status quo than about actually acquiring the browser. Still, even if the bid goes nowhere, it positions Perplexity as a serious contender in the AI and browser wars.
Featured image credit: The Information
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