A Moonshot Move in the Browser Wars
In a surprise twist to the ongoing tech power plays, AI search engine Perplexity has offered Google $34.5 billion in cash to acquire Chrome. The unsolicited bid — confirmed by Perplexity — also includes a pledge to keep Chrome’s engine, Chromium, open source, with an additional $3 billion earmarked for its continued development.
A Promise to Keep Google Search as Default
Perhaps the most surprising element of the offer: Perplexity says it won’t change Chrome’s default search engine. That means Google Search would remain the default for hundreds of millions of users, even under new ownership.
The DOJ’s Role and a Forced Sale Possibility
The bid lands amid heavy legal pressure on Google. In March, the U.S. Department of Justice proposed forcing Google to sell Chrome after a judge ruled it had illegally maintained a monopoly in online search. Google has vowed to fight the ruling, but the court could set remedies — potentially including a Chrome sale — later this month.
Why Chrome Is Such a Prize
Chrome dominates the global browser market with a commanding 68% share, according to Statcounter. DuckDuckGo’s CEO has previously suggested Chrome could be worth over $50 billion — making Perplexity’s offer potentially a bargain if the deal goes through.
How Perplexity Plans to Pay
The $34.5 billion price tag is far beyond Perplexity’s current financial standing. The company has raised about $1.5 billion in total funding and is valued at $18 billion, according to Bloomberg. This raises big questions about how it would finance the acquisition.
Perplexity’s Bigger Ambitions
Chrome isn’t the only big target in Perplexity’s sights. Last month, the company launched its own AI-focused browser, Comet, and reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok. These moves highlight Perplexity’s aggressive strategy to expand its reach in both search and user platforms.
Whether Google engages with the offer remains unclear. But with mounting antitrust pressure and multiple suitors waiting in the wings, the future of the world’s most popular browser could be decided sooner than expected.
sources ( techcrunch )
