“Perplexity’s $34.5 Billion Chrome Coup: AI Upstart Makes Bold Play Amid Antitrust Shakeup”
In a remarkable move this week, AI start-up Perplexity AI has pitched an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, aiming to capitalize on mounting antitrust pressures facing the search giant.
The Offer & Terms
The bid was formally delivered to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai amid a federal antitrust case that may force Google to divest Chrome, a dominant browser with over three billion users globally. Perplexity, valued at roughly $18 billion, plans to finalize financing through “multiple large investment funds,” though the backers remain unnamed.
In its commitment, the startup proposes to:
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Preserve the Chromium open-source foundation, keeping it accessible to developers.
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Invest $3 billion over two years to bolster Chrome’s infrastructure and talent retention.
- Maintain Google as the default search engine, ensuring continuity in user experience
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Strategic & Regulatory Context
Perplexity’s audacious play comes amid sweeping antitrust scrutiny of Google, especially in online search and browser dominance. Legal remedies under consideration include mandatory divestiture of Chrome to restore competition. Axios commentators framed the offer as a clever marketing maneuver—dubbed “Project Solomon”—that boosts Perplexity’s visibility even if the deal never materializes. It also reflects a broader shift: under President Biden’s antitrust policies, previously stifled dealmaking in the tech sector may begin to accelerate.
Despite the high-profile bid, analysts remain skeptical that Google will sell Chrome, given its strategic role in AI-driven integrations and market dominance.
Company Background & Broader Moves
Founded in 2022 by Aravind Srinivas along with Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski, Perplexity AI quickly rose to prominence with its conversational search engine powered by large-language models.
Earlier in the year, Perplexity also proposed a merger with TikTok’s US operations as a way to avert a potential ban. The company recently launched Comet, its own AI-enabled browser built on Chromium, reinforcing its ambition in AI-native browsing solutions.
Why It Matters:
| Implication | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Tech Power Shift | If executed, this deal could transfer control of a core internet gateway from Google to a nimble AI competitor, dramatically altering the search ecosystem. |
| Regulatory Trendsetter | The move is likely to set a precedent—either for enforcing divestitures or for creative strategic responses by upstart firms. |
| Visibility & Optics | Whether or not Perplexity succeeds, the bid demonstrates how emerging AI players are leveraging bold headlines to compete against ecosystem giants like Google and OpenAI. |
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