Perplexity bids $34.5 billion for Chrome browser

AI startup Perplexity has bid $34.5 billion to acquire Google's Chrome browser, a move that intertwines AI funding with antitrust scrutiny.

Perplexity bids $34.5 billion for Chrome browser

Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI has made an unsolicited bid worth $34.5 billion to acquire Google Chrome, according to CNBC and The Wall Street Journal. The offer comes as Perplexity expands beyond its AI search engine and has launched its own browser named Comet, while Google has not immediately commented. The bid is backed by several investors who have agreed to support the deal, the reports say.

The bid arrives amid heightened antitrust attention after the U.S. Department of Justice proposed that Google divest Chrome as part of the case alleging an illegal monopoly in search. Chrome acts as a gateway for data used to target ads, which is central to Google’s business model. A sale would reshape the browser market, raise questions about data access, and complicate the balance between innovation and competition.

This move shows how quickly capital is flowing into AI powered platforms. If Perplexity wins, Chrome would become a strategic asset in the wider AI race, not just a consumer tool.

Regulators will scrutinize whether this deal hurts competition and consumer choice. The outcome could set a precedent for how authorities evaluate deals that merge AI capital with gateway technology and vast data access.

Highlights

The next steps will reveal how far capital can push the rules of the digital market.