Perplexity Makes Bold $34.5 Billion All-Cash Bid to Acquire Google Chrome Browser

By The Blogging Hounds In an audacious move shaking up the tech world, AI startup Perplexity has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, one of the most dominant software products globally. While the offer is notably below some industry estimates of Chrome’s worth, it signals a bold play by…

By The Blogging Hounds

In an audacious move shaking up the tech world, AI startup Perplexity has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, one of the most dominant software products globally. While the offer is notably below some industry estimates of Chrome’s worth, it signals a bold play by a young AI company seeking to disrupt Big Tech’s stranglehold on online search and browser markets.

A Bid Bigger Than Valuation, Backed by External Funds
Perplexity, led by CEO Aravind Srinivas, is a three-year-old AI startup valued at roughly $14 billion and backed by heavyweight investors like Nvidia and Japan’s SoftBank. The $34.5 billion bid far exceeds Perplexity’s own valuation, meaning it will require substantial external financing. Multiple funds are reportedly interested in backing the deal, though specifics remain undisclosed.

Perplexity’s founder is no stranger to headline-grabbing moves. Earlier this year, the startup made a similar bid to merge with TikTok’s U.S. operations in an attempt to resolve regulatory concerns around the Chinese-owned video platform. Now, targeting Chrome—with over three billion users worldwide—could catapult Perplexity into a dominant position in the AI search race, especially as regulatory pressures threaten Google’s market grip.

Google’s Position and the Antitrust Context
Google has not commented officially on the bid and has not put Chrome up for sale. The company is also appealing a U.S. court ruling that deemed its search engine monopoly unlawful, with the Justice Department demanding remedies including divestiture of Chrome. Analysts expect a lengthy legal battle if Google resists selling its flagship browser, which is central to its AI strategy, including integrating AI features like Overviews that summarize search results.

Perplexity’s Strategy and Assurances
According to terms seen by Reuters, Perplexity pledges to keep Chrome’s underlying Chromium code open source, invest $3 billion into the browser over two years, and maintain user choice by not changing the default search engine. The all-cash, no-equity offer aims to address potential competition concerns and preserve the browser’s current ecosystem while expanding AI capabilities.

Why Chrome Matters More Than Ever
With AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and Perplexity’s own browser, Comet, rising in popularity, web browsers are regaining strategic importance as gateways to search traffic and valuable user data. Owning Chrome would give Perplexity massive leverage to compete with rivals like OpenAI, which is also reportedly interested in developing its own AI-powered browser.

The Bigger Picture: Who Else Wants Chrome?
Beyond Perplexity and OpenAI, other players including Yahoo and private-equity firm Apollo Global Management have expressed interest in acquiring Chrome. Meanwhile, DuckDuckGo’s CEO has estimated Chrome’s market value at $50 billion or more if forced to be sold, making Perplexity’s bid both bold and somewhat conservative.

The U.S. court is expected to rule on remedies in the Google search antitrust case soon, potentially opening the door to a dramatic reshaping of the browser and search landscape. Perplexity’s move, while unlikely to succeed without a protracted legal fight, marks a landmark moment in the ongoing battle between disruptive AI startups and entrenched Big Tech monopolies.

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