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Perplexity eyes Chrome bid
AI startup posts a bold offer for Google Chrome amid antitrust rulings and regulatory scrutiny.
A bold bid by an AI startup tests the future of Chrome as regulators press for changes in the browser and ad markets.
Perplexity bids 34.5 billion for Google Chrome amid antitrust ruling
Perplexity has made a bold bid to buy Google Chrome for 34.5 billion dollars. The AI startup runs a conversational search engine that cites sources, similar to well known models. The move comes as a US federal judge ruled Google violated antitrust laws by monopolizing online advertising technology, a finding that adds to a separate antitrust loss over online search. Chrome serves about 3.5 billion users globally, more than 40 percent of the world’s population. Google chief Sundar Pichai warned that selling Chrome could bring many unintended consequences, including cybersecurity risks. Regulators have floated remedies that could break up Alphabet to curb anti competitive practices. If Chrome ends up with an independent operator under such remedies, the browser could evolve with less advertising tied to search results and more AI powered features to help users browse. Perplexity says its proposal aims to satisfy the remedy in the public interest by placing Chrome with a capable, independent operator. The deal would test how far competition policy can reshape a product that sits at the core of daily internet use.
Key Takeaways
"Selling Chrome would create many unintended consequences"
Sundar Pichai warned of cybersecurity risks and other side effects
"Designed to satisfy an antitrust remedy in the highest public interest by placing Chrome with a capable, independent operator"
Perplexity articulates the rationale for the bid
"This could mean experiencing a different approach to web browsing"
Projected user experience under an independent Chrome
The bid arrives at a moment when antitrust cases push big tech to rethink core products. It highlights a broader tension between consumer convenience and political pressure to curb market power. If Chrome becomes an independently run platform, expect faster experimentation in how search and browsing interact with AI. Yet the disruption could also complicate security, data handling, and reliability for billions of users who rely on a stable browser. The question is not just who controls Chrome, but what the internet becomes when a single company loses a built in advantage. Regulators may see this as a chance to reset incentives, while users watch for changes in speed, privacy, and how ads appear.
Highlights
- Chrome changes hands and the web changes with it
- An independent Chrome could rewrite how we browse
- AI features could redefine everyday internet use
- Regulators will decide if the browser stays united or splits apart
Antitrust and market disruption risk
The bid and possible break up of Chrome could reshape the browser market, affect security and data handling, and redraw how ads appear. These moves invite political and investor scrutiny while impacting everyday users.
The outcome will test how regulators balance competition with user convenience.
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