On August 12, 2025, AI search company Perplexity offered $34.5 billion in cash to acquire Google’s Chrome browser.
The bid, confirmed by Perplexity and reported by Reuters, was unsolicited. It is nearly twice Perplexity’s current valuation of $18 billion.
Perplexity’s Offer
Perplexity’s proposal includes commitments: the company promises to keep Chrome’s underlying engine, Chromium, open source.
It has also pledged to invest $3 billion over the next two years to improve the project. Importantly, Perplexity says it will not change Chrome’s default search engine.
Google Search will remain the default unless users decide otherwise.
Antitrust Pressure
The offer comes at a critical moment. Earlier this year, a U.S. judge ruled that Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly in online search.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed that Google be required to sell Chrome as part of the remedy.
Google has vowed to fight the ruling; however, the court is expected to decide on possible remedies later this month.
If Chrome is ordered to be sold, multiple bidders are likely to emerge.
Financial And Market Implications
Acquiring Chrome would be a major step for Perplexity. Chrome dominates the global browser market with a 68% share, according to Statcounter.
The deal would give Perplexity direct access to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.
Yet, the scale of the offer raises questions. Perplexity has raised only $1.5 billion in funding to date.
It would need significant financial backing to complete the purchase. And reports suggest the company is in talks with major investors, but details remain private.
Valuation
The value of Chrome ($18 billion) has been called into focus. In April, DuckDuckGo’s CEO testified that Chrome could be worth more than $50 billion.
Some analysts suggest a figure closer to $20 billion. If Perplexity’s offer is accepted, it may be viewed as a bargain by some observers.
Expansion
Perplexity has already been moving into the browser space. In July 2025, it launched Comet, its own AI-powered browser.
Last month, the company also made headlines by reportedly submitting a bid to merge with TikTok.
Even if the Chrome deal fails, the publicity has raised Perplexity’s profile significantly. Industry analysts describe the move as both bold and strategically calculated.
The scale may tilt in Perplexity’s favor: Judge Amit Mehta is expected to rule soon on remedies in the antitrust case against Google.
If Chrome is put up for sale, there will be a bid, however competitive.
