Perplexity AI has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer for Google’s Chrome. The startup wants access to the browser’s more than three billion users. It sees the deal as key to competing in the AI-powered search market.
As per media reports, the three-year-old company, run by Aravind Srinivas, has raised about $1 billion from backers like Nvidia and SoftBank. It was last valued at $14 billion. Perplexity claims multiple funds are ready to finance the deal in full.
Google has not put Chrome up for sale. It is appealing a U.S. court ruling that found it held an illegal search monopoly. The Justice Department has suggested Chrome’s divestiture as part of the case remedies.
Perplexity has promised to keep Chrome’s core code open source. It also plans to invest $3 billion over two years and keep the default search engine unchanged. Analysts believe Google will fight to keep Chrome, given its role in the company’s AI strategy.
