Perplexity AI has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion bid for Google’s Chrome browser in a move that could reshape the AI search race.
AI startup Perplexity has made a $34.5 billion unsolicited all-cash offer for Alphabet’s Chrome browser, in a move aimed at shaking up the AI search landscape.
Run by Aravind Srinivas, the three-year-old company says buying Chrome would give it access to over three billion users and enhance its competitiveness against giants like OpenAI. “The offer… would preserve user choice and ease future competition concerns,” Perplexity said.
Google has not commented and has never offered Chrome for sale. The bid comes as the U.S. Justice Department seeks a Chrome divestiture after a court found Google held an unlawful search monopoly.
Perplexity, valued at $14 billion, has raised about $1 billion from backers including Nvidia and SoftBank. It says multiple funds are ready to finance the deal.
Analysts doubt Google will sell Chrome, with some valuing it at $50 billion, but interest is also coming from OpenAI, Yahoo and Apollo Global Management.