Perplexity Bids $34.5 Billion for Google Chrome Amid Antitrust Scrutiny

Perplexity, a rapidly ascending AI firm, has made a bold $34.5 billion unsolicited offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, according to a report by Fortune. This move, coming amid a broader antitrust investigation into Google, could potentially reshape the AI and search landscape. Perplexity confirmed the bid to the Wall Street Journal, despite the sum far exceeding its own valuation of $18 billion. The company described the proposal as a means to satisfy an antitrust remedy by placing Chrome in “capable, independent” hands [1].

The Justice Department’s case against Google, which began in 2020, centers on allegations that the tech giant monopolized the search market through exclusive deals with device manufacturers and browser developers. In 2024, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google had engaged in anticompetitive behavior. Among the potential remedies, a forced divestiture of Chrome has emerged as a key possibility [1].

Chrome, installed on over 3.5 billion devices globally, acts as a critical link between users and Google Search. It also serves as a primary data collection tool for Google’s $2 trillion advertising business. Its dominance in the market has made it a focal point in the antitrust debate. Analysts have estimated Chrome’s value between $20 billion and $50 billion, with Perplexity’s $34.5 billion bid falling within this range [1].

Perplexity has grown from a relatively obscure startup to a major player in the AI space, boasting approximately 30 million monthly active users and generating $150 million in annual revenue. Its core product—a real-time AI-powered search engine with source citations—positions it as a direct challenger to Google, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Anthropic’s Claude. The company has secured backing from major investors, including Nvidia, SoftBank, and Jeff Bezos [1].

In addition to its search engine, Perplexity has launched Comet, an AI-native browser that offers features such as real-time summarization, intelligent tab management, and task automation. Comet blends local processing for privacy with cloud-based models like GPT-4o, Claude 3.5, and Perplexity’s proprietary algorithms. The browser is positioned as a “cognitive operating system,” reflecting the company’s ambition to redefine digital interaction [1].

Perplexity’s letter to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the commitment to maintaining the open-source Chromium project and keeping Google as the default search engine in Chrome, while also allowing users to easily switch to alternatives. This strategy aligns with the Justice Department’s goals of fostering competition without compromising user experience [1].

Google, however, has previously resisted any forced sale of Chrome. CEO Sundar Pichai has argued that divesting the browser would harm innovation, weaken privacy protections, and damage complementary services. The company has instead proposed narrower remedies, such as ending exclusive agreements with Apple, Mozilla, and Android partners [1].

Perplexity and Google have not yet responded to requests for comment [1].

Source: [1] Perplexity's $34.5 billion gambit for Google's Chrome could change the AI wars overnight — https://fortune.com/2025/08/12/perplexity-google-chrome-browser-bid-antitrust-ai-wars/