AI startup Perplexity has made a bold Perplexity Chrome acquisition bid, offering $34.5 billion in cash to buy the browser from Google. The move comes as the U.S. Department of Justice continues to pressure Google to sell Chrome following its 2024 antitrust ruling.
The Wall Street Journal says Perplexity’s offer is almost double its own $18 billion valuation. The company calls it a serious proposal backed by major venture capital firms. Executives claim they can secure the funds if Google accepts. Analysts estimate Chrome’s value at $20–50 billion.
If the deal happens, Chromium will still be maintained. This open-source base powers Chrome and other browsers like Microsoft Edge, DuckDuckGo, Opera, and Electron-based apps. Perplexity already uses Chromium for its Comet browser, which focuses on AI integration.
Buying Chrome would give Perplexity access to more than 3.5 billion users. That reach could help it challenge Apple’s Safari on mobile and change the global browser market.
Rumors suggest Apple has considered acquiring Perplexity. If Apple bought Perplexity after a Perplexity Chrome acquisition, it could gain control over one of the world’s most-used browsers. That would give Apple a huge edge in both web browsing and online advertising.
Google continues to reject any plan to sell Chrome. Executives warn that a sale could harm user security and disrupt its data collection systems. The company has pushed back against DOJ demands and voiced concerns over how another owner might handle user data.
Right now, Google shows no sign of accepting Perplexity’s offer. But future regulatory pressure could change that. If it happens, the sale would be one of the biggest and most controversial acquisitions in tech history.
