AI-powered search startup Perplexity has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion bid to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, positioning itself ahead of a potential U.S. government order that could force its sale.
The San Francisco-based firm delivered the proposal to Google parent Alphabet on Tuesday, saying the acquisition would be funded through backing from unnamed major investment funds.
Google is appealing a federal court ruling that found it had illegally monopolised internet search. Remedies under consideration include selling Chrome or licensing search data to competitors.
Industry analysts remain sceptical of Perplexity’s bid, noting that Chrome’s market value could be closer to $100 billion. Perplexity insists it has the resources to grow Chrome and its open-source Chromium project, pledging $3 billion in investment and promising not to alter the browser’s functionality in ways that might undermine users or advertisers.
