AI startup Perplexity has made a $34.5 billion offer to acquire Google's Chrome browser. This move anticipates potential antitrust rulings that might require Google to divest the browser. Perplexity claims to have secured full financial backing from investors, including major venture capital funds.
The acquisition aims to address antitrust concerns by positioning Chrome under independent management. Perplexity has stated its commitment to maintaining Chrome's open-source Chromium project and retaining Google as the default search engine. Recent valuations estimate Chrome's enterprise value between $20 billion and $50 billion.
Perplexity's offer could signal to regulators that a viable buyer exists should a forced sale be mandated. Acquiring Chrome would significantly boost Perplexity's challenge to Google's search dominance, potentially superseding its own AI-centric browser, Comet.
