Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer for Google's Chrome browser on Tuesday. According to CNBC, the three-year-old company confirmed the bid amount to purchase the world's most popular web browser. The offer comes as regulatory pressure mounts on Google following antitrust violations.

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas said the bid aims to satisfy antitrust remedy requirements. The startup claims several investors have agreed to finance the deal fully. Google did not respond to requests for comment and has not offered Chrome for sale.

Why This Matters for Competition

The bid represents Perplexity's attempt to gain access to Chrome's 3.5 billion users globally. Chrome controls approximately 68% of the global browser market according to recent data. Acquiring the browser would position Perplexity directly against Google in the search and AI competition.

Reuters reports the offer includes commitments to keep Chrome's underlying Chromium code open source. Perplexity also pledged to invest $3 billion over two years and maintain Google as the default search engine. The deal would nearly double Perplexity's current $18 billion valuation from July 2025.

Browser Wars Enter AI Era

The acquisition attempt comes as major tech companies rush to develop AI-powered browsers. OpenAI recently launched its own AI browser to compete with Chrome's dominance. TechCrunch reported that Perplexity launched its Comet browser in July 2025, featuring AI-powered search capabilities.

Multiple companies including Yahoo and Apollo Global Management have expressed interest in Chrome. The Department of Justice proposed Google divest Chrome after ruling the company holds an illegal monopoly in online search. DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg testified that Chrome could be worth upwards of $50 billion.

Industry experts view this as part of a broader shift toward AI-native browsing experiences. Traditional search engines face disruption as AI assistants provide direct answers instead of link lists. The race to control browser distribution becomes critical for AI companies seeking user data access.

Further Reading

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