AI Startup Perplexity Makes Audacious $34.5 Billion Bid for Google Chrome
AI startup Perplexity has made a bold, unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google's Chrome web browser. The move comes as Google faces regulatory pressure following a US court ruling that it holds an unlawful monopoly in online search, with the Justice Department seeking Chrome's divestiture. Perplexity, led by Aravind Srinivas and valued at $14 billion, sees the acquisition as a strategic play to tap into Chrome's massive user base and advance its position in the competitive AI search landscape.
Unpacked:
The Justice Department is seeking Chrome’s divestiture because a court found Google holds an unlawful monopoly in online search. Regulators argue that Google’s control over Chrome gives it unfair access to user data and search defaults, reinforcing its dominance and harming competition.
Acquiring Chrome would give Perplexity access to a massive user base and control over browser defaults, enabling it to promote its AI-powered search engine, gather more user data, and compete directly with established players like Google in search and information retrieval.
Yes, in January 2025, Perplexity submitted a proposal to acquire TikTok's US operations in response to regulatory pressures on TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance. This demonstrates Perplexity’s aggressive expansion strategy into major digital platforms.
Aravind Srinivas is the co-founder and CEO of Perplexity. He previously worked as an AI researcher at OpenAI, completed his PhD at UC Berkeley, and has a strong background in artificial intelligence and machine learning.