AI startup Perplexity has made an unprecedented unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash bid to acquire Google's Chrome browser, marking one of the boldest moves in the ongoing AI search competition.
The Department of Justice proposed Google divest Chrome as part of the antitrust suit the company lost last year, creating an opportunity that Perplexity aims to capitalize on despite the bid exceeding its current $18 billion valuation.
Perplexity tells TechCrunch the terms of the offer include a commitment to keep Chrome's underlying engine, Chromium, open source and to invest $3 billion into it, demonstrating the startup's commitment to maintaining the browser's accessibility.
The US$34.5 billion unsolicited offer comes after OpenAI, Yahoo and Apollo Global Management have also expressed interest in Chrome, highlighting intense competition for the world's most popular web browser that serves as a gateway to internet search.
Chrome, which Google launched in 2008, provides the search giant with data it then uses for targeting ads, making this acquisition strategically vital for Perplexity's AI-powered search ambitions and its challenge to Google's search monopoly.
