August 15, 2025
Perplexity AI Throws $34.5B at Google Chrome in Bold Market Move
Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI has made an audacious $34.5 billion all-cash offer for Google’s Chrome browser, a bid that far exceeds the company’s own $14 billion valuation.
Led by Aravind Srinivas, a former Google and OpenAI engineer, Perplexity has made headlines before with bold acquisition proposals, including an earlier attempt to merge with TikTok US. Its latest offer targets Chrome’s massive user base, which could easily be a gateway to search traffic and the data that powers AI algorithms.
While Google has not indicated any plans to sell the browser, the bid comes amid growing regulatory scrutiny. Last year, a U.S. court ruled Google held an unlawful monopoly in online search, prompting the Justice Department to seek remedies that include a potential Chrome divestiture.
Perplexity has yet to clarify how it will fund the deal, though it claims several investors are ready to finance it. The three-year-old startup has raised about $1 billion from backers such as Nvidia and SoftBank, and it recently launched its own AI-powered browser, Comet.
As Chrome’s strategic value far exceeds $34.5 billion, some see this move as a publicity stunt. Others view it as a clear sign that browsers are reclaiming strategic importance in the AI era.
