Perplexity’s Bold $34.5 Billion Bid to Acquire Chrome from Google

In a daring move, AI-powered search engine Perplexity has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion cash offer to purchase Chrome from Google, according to Reuters, with confirmation provided to TechCrunch. Perplexity emphasized that its proposal ensures the continued development of Chromium, Chrome’s open-source engine, with a commitment to invest $3 billion in the project. Additionally, Perplexity has pledged to maintain Chrome’s user defaults, including keeping Google as the default search engine rather than switching to its own AI-driven search platform.

The audacious bid reflects Perplexity’s ambition to reshape the browser landscape and challenge Google’s dominance. By acquiring Chrome, Perplexity could gain significant leverage in the search and AI markets, positioning itself as a formidable player.

However, the offer’s scale raises questions about financing, as it far exceeds Perplexity’s current valuation and available capital, potentially requiring substantial backing or creative deal structuring to proceed. Google has not yet responded to the offer. This bid follows a March proposal by the Department of Justice (DOJ), which suggested Google divest Chrome after a federal judge ruled that the company illegally maintained a monopoly in online search. Google has resisted the ruling and vowed to appeal. A Perplexity spokesperson indicated that the court may outline remedies as early as this month. Google is also contending with a separate federal case regarding its adtech monopoly, where the DOJ has proposed divesting two adtech products or restructuring its ad business.

When the DOJ initially raised the idea of Google selling Chrome, both Perplexity and OpenAI expressed interest. With Chrome holding a commanding 68% market share, per Statcounter, a court-mandated sale could attract global bidders.

DuckDuckGo’s CEO testified in April that Chrome could be valued at “upwards of $50 billion,” according to Bloomberg, suggesting Perplexity’s offer might be a steal if accepted. However, the $34.5 billion bid significantly exceeds Perplexity’s fundraising total of approximately $1.5 billion, including a recent $100 million round that valued the company at $18 billion, per PitchBook and Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Perplexity launched its own browser, Comet, last month to bolster its AI search business, reducing reliance on third-party browsers like Chrome, owned by its primary competitor, Google. Additionally, Perplexity reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok last month, signaling its aggressive expansion strategy.

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