Perplexity AI has stunned the tech world with a bold $34.5 billion bid to acquire Google’s Chrome browser — a move that could mark one of the most disruptive takeovers in recent internet history.
The unsolicited offer, delivered Tuesday morning to Google’s parent company Alphabet, comes as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) pushes for antitrust remedies that may force Google to part with Chrome. The DOJ’s position follows a landmark ruling last year declaring that Google holds an illegal monopoly on internet search. By selling Chrome, regulators believe competitors could finally challenge Google on equal terms, removing its dominance over one of the web’s most powerful gateways.
Perplexity, currently valued at $18 billion after a $100 million funding round in 2024, is best known for its AI-powered search engine and, more recently, its Comet browser. The company has positioned itself as a fast-rising rival to industry giants like OpenAI and Meta in the generative AI race.
The deal, however, comes with a staggering twist: Perplexity’s offer is nearly twice its valuation. Despite that, Chief Business Officer Dmitry Shevelenko claims several major investment funds have pledged to fully finance the acquisition.
Google has yet to respond to the bid, which arrives amid earlier reports that Meta had approached Perplexity about a possible sale of its own assets. This isn’t Perplexity’s first ambitious move — in January, the startup proposed a merger with TikTok, though the plan never materialised.
Chrome, launched in 2008, dominates the global browser market and serves as a cornerstone of Google’s advertising empire, harvesting vast amounts of user data that fuel targeted marketing. Should Perplexity succeed, it could radically alter the search and browser landscape, setting up an unprecedented clash between AI-driven and traditional search models.
