Perplexity AI, a U.S.-based AI search company, has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Alphabet’s Chrome browser, aiming to expand its reach in the AI-driven search market. The bold bid comes despite Chrome not being officially for sale and is expected to face legal and regulatory hurdles.
United States-based Perplexity AI has announced an unsolicited all-cash offer worth $34.5 billion to acquire Alphabet’s Chrome browser, marking one of the most ambitious moves yet in the AI search industry. The offer is notably higher than the company’s own valuation and comes despite Chrome not being officially up for sale.
Industry analysts view the bid as a strategic play to gain access to Chrome’s more than three billion global users, a move that could accelerate Perplexity AI’s push into AI-driven search. By integrating Chrome’s reach with its own AI capabilities, Perplexity AI could position itself to better compete with other technology giants investing heavily in search-related AI tools.
Chrome has long been a cornerstone of Alphabet’s ecosystem, serving as a primary gateway to its search services and user data. With regulatory pressures increasing on dominant search providers, some industry observers note that owning a major browser could be a competitive advantage for AI firms seeking to capture and direct search traffic.
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Perplexity AI, founded just three years ago, has raised approximately $1 billion in funding from global investors. The company also operates Comet, its own AI-powered browser designed to handle tasks and automate web-based workflows for users. Acquiring Chrome could give it the scale needed to close the gap with larger competitors and strengthen its foothold in the rapidly evolving search market.
According to the company, the bid includes maintaining Chrome’s open-source foundation, investing $3 billion over the next two years to enhance its performance, and keeping the current default search engine unchanged. This approach, it says, would help maintain user choice and address potential antitrust concerns.
Market experts highlight that Alphabet is unlikely to accept the offer without a legal battle, given Chrome’s strategic role in its AI and search strategies. A pending court ruling on remedies in the ongoing U.S. search antitrust case could influence the feasibility of any potential acquisition.
Although the $34.5 billion valuation falls below some estimates of Chrome’s worth, the move reflects a broader trend of AI companies seeking control over distribution channels like web browsers to secure a competitive edge in the next era of search technology.
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