AI startup Perplexity has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Alphabet’s Chrome browser, a bold move aimed at securing its position in the fiercely competitive AI search race. The proposal, which far exceeds Perplexity’s own $14 billion valuation, seeks to capitalize on Chrome’s massive user base of over three billion people.*
Perplexity, led by CEO Aravind Srinivas, has a history of ambitious acquisition attempts, including a January bid for TikTok’s U.S. operations. The latest offer comes as major players like OpenAI, Yahoo, and Apollo Global Management have also reportedly shown interest in Chrome amid increasing regulatory scrutiny of Google’s dominance in search.
Google has not put Chrome up for sale and is expected to resist the bid, particularly as it fights a U.S. court ruling that found it unlawfully monopolized online search. The Justice Department has pushed for Chrome’s divestiture as a potential remedy in the antitrust case.
Perplexity, backed by investors such as Nvidia and SoftBank, did not disclose how it would finance the massive deal but claimed multiple funds had offered full backing. The company’s AI-powered browser, Comet, could integrate with Chrome’s infrastructure, giving Perplexity a significant edge against rivals like OpenAI, which is also developing its own AI browser.
A term sheet reviewed by Reuters reveals Perplexity’s pledge to keep Chromium open-source, invest $3 billion in Chrome over two years, and maintain its default search engine—a move likely intended to ease antitrust concerns.
Analysts doubt Google will entertain the offer, as Chrome is central to its AI strategy, including new features like AI-generated search summaries. The final decision may hinge on U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta’s upcoming ruling in the Google antitrust case.
“Judge Mehta may delay any forced sale until appeals are exhausted, which could take years,” said Herbert Hovenkamp, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
As AI-driven search reshapes the tech landscape, Perplexity’s audacious bid underscores the growing battle for control over the gateway to the internet—and the data that fuels the AI revolution.
Alphabet’s shares rose 1.6% following news of the offer.