Perplexity has made headlines with an ambitious multi-billion-dollar bid for Google Chrome — a move that could reshape the browser market if approved. The unexpected offer signals the startup’s intent to challenge established players while regulatory winds are already pushing Google toward potential divestment.
Unsolicited $34.5 Billion Bid
In a moonshot move, AI search engine Perplexity has offered to buy Chrome from Google for $34.5 billion in cash, Reuters reported, and Perplexity has confirmed to TechCrunch.
Commitment to Open Source
Perplexity has emphasized that, if its bid is successful, Chrome’s underlying engine, Chromium, will remain fully open source. The company has pledged to invest $3 billion into the ongoing development and maintenance of the project, ensuring stability, security, and innovation for the broader developer community.
By keeping Chromium open, Perplexity aims to preserve the collaborative ecosystem that powers many browsers worldwide, while reinforcing its support for transparency and accessibility in web technologies.
Do you want me to expand the No Change to User Defaults section in the same professional style so the tone is consistent?
No Change to User Defaults
The company is also promising not to change Chrome users’ default settings, including keeping Google as the default search engine rather than replacing it with its own AI-powered option.
Regulatory Background
This bid comes after the Department of Justice proposed in March that Google be forced to sell Chrome, following a ruling that the tech giant acted illegally to maintain a monopoly in online search. Google has vowed to fight the ruling.
A Perplexity spokesperson believes the court will soon set terms for remedies, possibly later this month.
Other Antitrust Battles
Google is also contesting another federal case in which a judge ruled it illegally monopolized adtech. The DOJ has proposed forcing Google to divest two adtech products or break up its ad business.
Interest From Multiple Players
When the DOJ first suggested a Chrome divestiture, both OpenAI and Perplexity expressed interest. Chrome currently holds 68% of the browser market, according to Statcounter.
The CEO of rival DuckDuckGo testified in April that Chrome could be worth “upwards of $50 billion,” making Perplexity’s bid potentially a bargain if successful.
Perplexity’s Resources and Expansion
Despite the size of the bid, Perplexity has raised only about $1.5 billion to date, including a $100 million extension round last month that valued it at $18 billion, Bloomberg reported.
Last month, the company also launched its own browser, Comet, as part of its effort to grow its AI search business without relying on a rival’s platform.
Bottom Line:
Perplexity’s $34.5 billion unsolicited bid for Chrome underscores rising competitive pressure on Google amid regulatory scrutiny, while signaling Perplexity’s intent to scale its AI search ambitions without disrupting Chromium’s open-source ecosystem.
