Perplexity, an AI startup, has made an unsolicited bid of $34.5 billion to acquire Google’s Chrome browser. This significant offer is timed to coincide with a critical moment for Google, as it faces potential court-ordered remedies in U.S. antitrust proceedings, which could include the forced sale of Chrome.
The bid is a strategic attempt to get ahead of a potential requirement for Google to sell the browser. It also puts Perplexity in direct competition with rival startup OpenAI, which has also expressed interest in Chrome. Despite its own $18 billion valuation, Perplexity has assured that it can fund the acquisition, with its Chief Business Officer stating that “multiple large investment funds have agreed to finance the transaction in full.”
To ease user anxieties, Perplexity has promised that it would not make any “stealth modifications” to Chrome, highlighting a commitment to continuity. The company also pointed out that the offer doesn’t include any equity in Perplexity, a detail intended to address any antitrust concerns related to the deal itself.
This move underscores the growing importance of web browsers for AI companies, which are looking to build agents that can perform tasks for users, such as online shopping. The bid is not Perplexity’s first attempt to acquire a major internet property facing a forced transition; it previously submitted a bid to merge with TikTok’s U.S. operations. If the deal goes through, Perplexity has promised to invest $3 billion over the next two years and retain a substantial portion of Chrome’s talent.