Perplexity AI tables $34.5 billion cash bid for Google's Chrome amid Antitrust pressure
The offer marks a bold play by Perplexity AI, a rising player in the artificial intelligence sector, to gain a foothold in one of the internet's most widely used platforms. Chrome, which commands a substantial share of the global browser market, has long been a strategic asset for Google, underpinning its advertising, search, and data-driven services.
Perplexity's proposal reportedly includes maintaining Chrome's open-source Chromium code, pledging $3 billion in investment over two years, and leaving the default search engine unchanged. The company has also indicated that the deal would be financed without issuing shares. Reuters said that multiple investment funds had expressed willingness to back the acquisition in full, though no names were disclosed.
Google has not responded publicly to the bid. The tech giant has not signalled any intention to sell Chrome and is appealing a US court ruling from last year that found it held an illegal monopoly in online search. The US Department of Justice has proposed a divestiture of Chrome as one potential remedy, with a federal judge expected to decide on measures later this month.
Analysts suggest Google is likely to resist any forced sale, given Chrome's strategic value in its AI initiatives, including the integration of AI-generated search summaries to bolster its search market share, according to Reuters.
Perplexity, founded three years ago, has raised about $1 billion from investors such as Nvidia and SoftBank, and was most recently valued at $14 billion. Its current AI browser, Comet, is designed to carry out tasks on behalf of users. Acquiring Chrome would significantly expand its reach in the competitive AI-driven search space, where rivals including OpenAI, Yahoo, and Apollo Global Management have also shown interest.
DuckDuckGo chief executive Gabriel Weinberg has previously suggested that Chrome could fetch at least $50 billion if sold under regulatory pressure, well above Perplexity's current bid.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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