AI Startup Perplexity Proposes $34.5B Acquisition of Google’s Chrome Browser
Perplexity, an AI startup, has astoundingly proposed a $34.5 billion unsolicited bid to acquire Google’s Chrome browser. This offer is nearly double its own valuation of $18 billion. This bold move comes at a time when Google is potentially facing antitrust remedies that could compel the tech giant to divest Chrome. This follows a 2024 court ruling that found Google guilty of illegally monopolizing the search market.
The bid was formally presented to Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, on August 12, in a letter that included promises to:
- Keep Chrome’s underlying Chromium engine open source
- Invest $3 billion over a span of two years
- Retain Google as the default search engine
Several large venture capital funds have reportedly agreed to fully back the transaction. Perplexity CEO, Aravind Srinivas, has given Google until 6:00 p.m. Pacific time on August 15, 2025, to respond to the offer.
The startup, which launched its own AI-powered browser named Comet in July, views this as a strategic move to challenge Google’s dominance while potentially satisfying antitrust requirements. Chrome currently commands over 60% of the global browser market, with approximately 3.5 billion users.
Source: CNBC