Perplexity Bids $34.5 Billion to Acquire Google's Chrome Browser

In a move that has sent ripples across the tech industry, artificial intelligence search innovator Perplexity has tabled an unsolicited $34.5 billion proposal to acquire Google’s Chrome browser. This surprising bid comes from a company that has long positioned itself as a disruptor to Google Search’s dominance, aiming to fundamentally change the way information is discovered and consumed online.

The Antitrust Backdrop

This offer arrives at a particularly sensitive moment for Google. The tech giant is awaiting the outcome of a pivotal court decision following a landmark ruling last year that found it in violation of US antitrust laws through its search operations. The US Justice Department has gone as far as recommending that Google divest its Chrome browser entirely, a proposal that has been met with fierce resistance from the company.

Google’s Pushback

Google has made it clear that it will appeal the ruling, denouncing the idea of separating Chrome from its ecosystem as an “unprecedented proposal” that it claims would undermine both user safety and product quality. While the company declined to comment specifically on Perplexity’s bid, its stance suggests that such a sale is far from a foregone conclusion.

A Signal of AI’s Expanding Ambitions

Though the chances of Perplexity’s acquisition succeeding appear slim, the offer underscores a growing trend: younger, agile firms are mounting direct challenges to the tech industry’s most entrenched players. The AI-driven era is redefining how the internet operates, and companies like Perplexity see an opening to claim influence over key tools and platforms that shape daily online activity.

Perplexity’s Rapid Rise

Founded less than three years ago, Perplexity has quickly earned attention for its AI-powered search capabilities. Unlike conventional engines that deliver pages of links, its platform parses online content through advanced AI models, generating concise, sourced summaries. This approach, launched commercially in December 2022, positions it as a direct competitor to Google’s long-standing dominance in the search space.

Beyond Search: The Comet Browser

Perplexity’s ambitions have extended beyond search alone. In July, the company unveiled Comet, its AI-driven web browser. Designed as a deeply personalized browsing tool, Comet aims to integrate disparate elements of a user’s digital life, ranging from calendars and open tabs to social channels, into a unified, intelligent experience. The move aligns with a broader industry shift, with OpenAI also rumoured to be developing its own browser, signalling that AI firms are intent on shaping the next generation of internet use.

Commitments if the Bid Succeeds

In its proposal, Perplexity has pledged to preserve existing Chrome user settings, including keeping Google as the default search provider. Furthermore, it has promised to sustain Chrome’s availability and support for 100 months while committing $3 billion toward the development of Chromium, the open-source framework underpinning Chrome, over the next two years. This would ensure that not only Google, but also companies such as Microsoft and Perplexity itself, could continue building on the technology.