WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Artificial intelligence search startup Perplexity has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion offer to acquire Google's Chrome browser, in a bold move aimed at reshaping the way people navigate the internet. The offer, confirmed to CNN by Perplexity spokesperson Jesse Dwyer, was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The bid comes as Google awaits a court ruling after a landmark decision last year found it had violated U.S. antitrust laws in its search business.
The Department of Justice has proposed forcing Google to divest Chrome, calling it a critical 'gateway to the internet' whose sale could level the playing field for rivals. Google has vowed to appeal, branding the proposal 'unprecedented' and harmful to consumers and security.
Perplexity, valued at $18 billion after a recent funding round, is offering nearly double its own worth. The company says several major investors, including prominent venture capital firms, have agreed to back the deal.
If successful, Perplexity pledges to keep Chrome's existing user preferences, maintain support for 100 months, and invest $3 billion in Chromium the open-source platform underpinning Chrome.
Founded less than three years ago, Perplexity has quickly emerged as a challenger to Google, launching an AI-powered search engine in 2022 and its own browser, Comet, in July.
The bid follows earlier attempts to acquire TikTok and comes amid intensifying competition in AI, with giants like Meta, OpenAI, and Apple all exploring the browser and search space.
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