AI startup Perplexity offers to buy Google Chrome for $34.5 billion, gets trolled online
A little backstory
The offer, made on Tuesday, August 12, comes as part of Perplexity's ambitious (and possibly delusional) mission to chip away at Google's web-search dominance. But here's the kicker: Perplexity itself is valued at around $18 billion. Which means they're essentially offering twice their own worth to snag Chrome. So how do they plan to make up the difference? According to The Wall Street Journal, Perplexity claims that several investors — including big-name venture-capital funds — have agreed to back the deal in full.
The estimated price tag for Chrome varies wildly, with figures ranging from $20 billion to $50 billion. So technically, Perplexity's offer falls within the range — but that doesn't mean Google's about to bite. But the timing of the offer is rather spot on, since this whole saga is unfolding in the shadow of U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta's ruling last year that Google illegally monopolised the search market. While Google is appealing the decision, the judge is expected to rule this month on potential remedies — and while forcing Chrome's sale seems unlikely, Perplexity clearly saw an opportunity to make a splash.
The internet has a lot to say
The internet reacted instantly, and with brutal honesty. One person summed up the collective disbelief with, 'God give me half the confidence as Perplexity trying to buy Chrome.' Another was less charitable: 'This is truly clown behaviour.' Some brought receipts: 'These clowns bid for literally everything. They also bidden for TikTok. They have no intention to actually purchase anything. They do it just to get attention.'
They're not wrong. Back in January 2025, CNBC reported that Perplexity made a play for TikTok, submitting a bid to ByteDance for a merged entity involving TikTok U.S., Perplexity, and new capital partners. As one commenter put it bluntly: 'Did the same shit with TikTok earlier this year. They're making unserious bullshit offers as a way to raise their profile, and the morons in finance journalism are giving them exactly what they want.' Other reactions ranged from cutting to downright comedic: 'I imagine Google would wipe its ass with this offer lol.' Another said, 'Perplexity took the phrase 'fake it till you make it' way too seriously. A bunch of clowns in a circus.' One more comment read,'$34.6B and 1 penny is my offer.' And perhaps the most savage of all: 'Perplexity made a $34.5B offer to buy Google's Chrome. I just downloaded it for free in the app store.'
Still, not everyone thinks this was just a publicity stunt. Some argued it's actually a masterstroke. As one pointed out, 'A judge is considering divestment from Chrome as a possible antitrust remedy. By making an unsolicited bid, Perplexity is signaling to the judge there is a market for the asset if that's the route he wants to take. I think it's more about Perplexity trying to undermine Google than a pure intentioned acquisition offer from them. Which is, y'know, definitely in Perplexity's best interest. I think it's a sharp but devious idea.'
Whether it's genius strategy or just tech theatre, one thing's certain: Perplexity knows exactly how to keep itself in the headlines, but for how long?
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
6 minutes ago
- First Post
Faulty math and accounting tricks: How much has DOGE inflated its savings numbers
Between February and July, DOGE's verifiable savings from cancelled contracts came to about $1.4 billion, far short of the $32.7 billion the agency claimed for that period. How did the numbers get so inflated? A man sprays paint graffiti against Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) on a Tesla showroom in New York, US, April 22, 2025, in this still image taken from video. Extinction Rebellion NYC via Reuters The Trump administration's flagship cost-cutting agency, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), says it has saved taxpayers more than $54 billion by tearing up federal contracts and taking a hard line on spending. A closer look at public data suggests those claims are greatly inflated. An analysis of federal spending records by POLITICO found that between February and July, DOGE's verifiable savings from cancelled contracts came to about $1.4 billion, far short of the $32.7 billion the agency claimed for that period. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even then, none of that money will reduce the federal deficit unless Congress takes back the funds. Under current law, most of it stays with the agencies, which must spend it. Counting credit limits as cash in hand DOGE uses the maximum possible value of each contract as its baseline for 'savings' — the ceiling value, not the amount actually committed. Contract experts say that approach is like canceling a credit card with a $20,000 limit and claiming you just saved $20,000. In many cases, these ceiling figures far exceed what the government was likely to spend. The White House insists DOGE's data is sound. Spokesman Harrison Fields said the figures are 'rigorously scrubbed' with agency officials and updated in real time. But POLITICO found that about 40 per cent of claimed savings from posted contracts could not be verified because DOGE withheld identifying details. Lowering the ceiling instead of closing the account In many cases, DOGE is not canceling contracts outright but lowering their ceiling values. That reduces the theoretical maximum cost, but it does not mean those dollars would have been spent. For the contracts that could be traced, ceiling reductions totaled about $14 billion— well below the $32.7 billion in claimed savings. Some cancelled contracts have even been restarted. At the Department of Veterans Affairs, DOGE claimed $932 million in savings from cancellations, including a suicide prevention services contract. Records show the VA recovered only $132 million, then reinstated the suicide prevention work. Headline figures vs. reality on the ground One of DOGE's largest single claims involves a migrant shelter contract in Pecos, Texas. DOGE said canceling it would save $2.9 billion. In reality, the maximum savings before the contract's scheduled review date in November would be about $126 million — roughly 4 per cent of DOGE's claim. The inflated number came from subtracting the $428 million actually obligated from the $3.3 billion ceiling. Another example is a consulting contract at the Energy Department to help set appliance efficiency standards. DOGE listed it as canceled, claiming $166 million in savings. The department says it was reduced, not cancelled, and that the real change was lowering the ceiling by just under $100 million. No funds have been returned. Hard to measure, harder to prove Experts note that true savings from canceling contracts are difficult to calculate. Terminations can trigger extra costs such as paying for work already done, settling leases, or covering subcontractors' expenses. Those bills can take years to finalise. By law, agencies must spend the money Congress gives them, even if a contract is canceled. They can shift it to other priorities but cannot simply leave it unspent without a formal rescission from Congress. A shrinking 'wall of receipts' DOGE's online 'wall of receipts,' a public log of terminated contracts, has seen slower updates since Elon Musk left the agency in May. The page went weeks without new entries this summer. Musk has since turned on Trump, criticising a spending bill the president signed in July and promising to launch his own third party to push for deeper cuts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For now, DOGE's lofty savings numbers remain a staple of administration talking points. But federal records suggest the truth lies somewhere in the middle, well below the headline figures and far above zero, with the real impact still years from being known.
The Hindu
6 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Google will let you pick preferred sources for news
Google is rolling out a feature that will allow those who read Top Stories curated by the tech giant to see more stories from their preferred sources. The feature, known as Preferred Sources, will allow users to customise their news experience in Search so more content from their favourites sites is shown. Users can select these sites by going to their Top Stories menu and setting their preferred outlets. These can be managed at any time, and content from other platforms will still be shown as well. 'Everyone has their own preferences about where and how they get their news, so we're launching a new feature in Search that lets you customize your experience to see more from your favorite sites within Top Stories. With the launch of Preferred Sources in the U.S. and India, you can select your favorite sources and stay up to date on the latest content from the sites you follow and subscribe to — whether that's your favorite sports blog or a local news outlet,' said Duncan Osborn, Product Manager, Google Search, in a post on Tuesday (August 12, 2025). Google's Preferred Sources feature is currently rolling out and is set to be broadly available in the coming days.
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Perplexity AI offers Google $34.5 bn for chrome browser
San Francisco: Perplexity AI offered Google on Tuesday $34.5 billion for its popular Chrome web browser, which the internet giant could potentially be forced to sell as part of antitrust proceedings . The whopping sum proposed in a letter of intent by Perplexity is nearly double the value of the startup, which was reportedly $18 billion in a recent funding round. "This proposal is designed to satisfy an antitrust remedy in highest public interest by placing Chrome with a capable, independent operator focused on continuity, openness, and consumer protection," Perplexity chief executive Aravind Srinivas said in the letter, a copy of which was seen by AFP. Google is awaiting US District Court Judge Amit Mehta's ruling on what "remedies" to impose, following a landmark decision last year that said the tech titan maintained an illegal monopoly in online search . US government attorneys have called for Google to divest itself of the Chrome browser , contending that artificial intelligence is poised to ramp up the tech giant's dominance as the go-to window into the internet. Google has urged Mehta to reject the divestment, and his decision is expected by the end of the month. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Perplexity's offer vastly undervalues Chrome and "should not be taken seriously," Baird Equity Research analysts said in a note to investors. Given that Perplexity already has a browser that competes with Chrome, the San Francisco-based startup could be trying to spark others to bid or "influence the pending decision" in the antitrust case, Baird analysts theorized. "Either way, we believe Perplexity would view an independent Chrome -- or one no longer affiliated with Google -- as an advantage as it attempts to take browser share," Baird analysts told investors. Google contends that the United States has gone way beyond the scope of the suit by recommending a spinoff of Chrome, and holding open the option to force a sale of its Android mobile operating system. "Forcing the sale of Chrome or banning default agreements wouldn't foster competition," said Cato Institute senior fellow in technology policy Jennifer Huddleston. "It would hobble innovation, hurt smaller players, and leave users with worse products." Google attorney John Schmidtlein noted in court that more than 80 percent of Chrome users are outside the United States, meaning divestiture would have global ramifications. "Any divested Chrome would be a shadow of the current Chrome," he contended. "And once we are in that world, I don't see how you can say anybody is better off." The potential of Chrome being weakened or spun off comes as rivals such as Microsoft, ChatGPT and Perplexity put generative artificial intelligence ( AI ) to work fetching information from the internet in response to user queries. Google is among the tech companies investing heavily to be a leader in AI, and is weaving the technology into search and other online offerings.
