Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI has submitted an unsolicited $34.5 billion cash offer to acquire Google's Chrome browser. This significant move occurs as Google faces increased antitrust scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice, following a federal judge's ruling that the company illegally monopolized the online search market. Perplexity AI, founded three years ago by Aravind Srinivas and a team of engineers, was valued at approximately $18 billion as of July 2025, after recently securing $100 million in funding. Prominent investors such as Nvidia and SoftBank are part of the company's investor base, and multiple investment funds have reportedly expressed readiness to fully finance the acquisition.
Perplexity AI's proposal includes commitments to maintain Chrome's open-source Chromium framework and to invest $300 million over two years into the project. The company also pledges to keep Chrome's default search engine unchanged, aiming to address antitrust concerns and promote user choice. OpenAI has also expressed interest in acquiring Chrome if Google is compelled to divest it, a sentiment confirmed by OpenAI's head of product for ChatGPT, Nick Turley. OpenAI views such an acquisition as a strategic step to integrate its AI tools into daily digital life and potentially access extensive user interaction data. Google has not yet formally responded to Perplexity's bid, and there is no current indication that Chrome is for sale. However, ongoing legal proceedings have cast uncertainty on Chrome's future, with a prior ruling deeming Google's search dominance illegal, prompting the Department of Justice to suggest Chrome's sale as a potential remedy. Analysts generally believe Google is unlikely to sell Chrome and may instead engage in a lengthy legal battle to retain control of the browser. Chrome holds a global market share exceeding 67% with an estimated 3.44 billion users. Other potential bidders mentioned include Yahoo and private equity firm Apollo Global Management, while DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg previously estimated Chrome's market value at a higher $50 billion if sold. Perplexity recently launched its own AI-powered browser, Comet.