Multibillion-dollar deal: Perplexity to acquire Google Chrome for a staggering $34.5 billion
In a surprising turn of events, U.S. AI startup Perplexity has made a formal takeover bid of $34.5 billion for Google's browser, Chrome. This unsolicited offer, made to Google CEO Sundar Pichai in a letter, has brought attention to the potential divestiture scenario in Google's ongoing U.S. antitrust case.
The offer, presented as a non-binding asset sale "tailored to satisfy remedy requirements," indicates that Perplexity anticipates regulatory-driven divestiture rather than a voluntary sale. However, Google has neither accepted nor publicly engaged with the offer. The antitrust case and legal proceedings continue independently of this bid.
Chrome, with over 3.5 billion users, holds more than half of the browser market. As a strategic entry point to the internet, controlling Chrome could significantly influence search behavior and the display of content. Perplexity's move could put pressure on the responsible judge in the ongoing antitrust case regarding Google's product division.
Perplexity's offer aims to position itself as a serious competitor in the AI and browser space and demonstrate financial backing to investors. The company is currently valued at around $18 billion. If the transaction were to go through, Perplexity plans to invest an additional $3 billion in Google Project Chromium.
In addition, Perplexity has started its own browser project named Comet. The startup is positioning itself as a challenger in the search and browser market. The company plans a smartphone cooperation with Samsung, Motorola, and Deutsche Telekom.
Industry experts and analysis view Google’s Chrome as potentially worth $50 billion or more, suggesting Perplexity’s $34.5 billion bid is below market value and unlikely to be accepted. This reinforces the notion of the bid as a PR move to raise Perplexity’s profile amid antitrust scrutiny of Google.
Perplexity's offer also aims to integrate its own AI directly into smartphones, further solidifying its position as a competitor in the AI industry. The Wall Street Journal reported this news, adding to the speculation surrounding the bid. The project is internally known as Solomon.
In summary, Perplexity’s Chrome purchase bid has brought attention to the antitrust divestiture scenario but has not changed legal proceedings or the official status of Google’s antitrust case as of August 2025. The future of this bid remains uncertain, but it has certainly stirred up interest in the tech world.
What is the possibility of Perplexity's bid being accepted, given that industry experts believe Google's Chrome is worth more than $50 billion? This expense might be employed as a strategic move by Perplexity to bolster its reputation in the tech sector, particularly in finance, business, and technology, as it seeks to challenge Google's dominance in the AI and browser markets.
