Perplexity Eyes Bold Move: Reportedly Bids to Acquire Google Chrome in Deal Surpassing Its Own Valuation

Artificial intelligence (AI) startup Perplexity has reportedly made a surprising and audacious move — offering Google $34.5 billion (approximately Rs. 3.02 lakh crore) to acquire the world’s most popular open-source web browser, Google Chrome. This bid is notably larger than Perplexity’s own valuation and comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny and antitrust rulings against Google.

The Acquisition Proposal

As reported by Bloomberg, Perplexity plans to secure the massive funding through major outside investors. Dmitry Shevelenko, Chief Business Officer at Perplexity, confirmed that multiple large investment funds have agreed to finance the deal in full. The AI firm, last valued at $18 billion (around Rs. 1.57 lakh crore), recently raised $100 million in a July funding round.

Commitments to Chrome’s Open Source Roots

In a statement to TechCrunch, Perplexity assured that if the acquisition goes through, Chrome’s core engine, Chromium, will remain open source. The company pledged an additional $3 billion (approximately Rs. 0.26 lakh crore) in continued investment. Crucially, Perplexity promised to keep Google as the default search engine in Chrome, rather than replacing it with its own AI-powered search.

Regulatory Pressures on Google

This development follows an antitrust case in which the US Department of Justice accused Google of striking anti-competitive deals, including paying Apple over $15 billion annually to remain the default search engine on its devices. In the wake of the ruling, US regulators have reportedly suggested that Google should sell Chrome and make its search data accessible to competitors.

Perplexity’s Existing Browser and Ambitions

Perplexity already offers its own AI-powered browser, Comet, which features AI agents capable of performing complex tasks with minimal input. The company has ambitious plans to reach “tens to hundreds of millions” of users by 2026 and is in discussions with smartphone OEMs to pre-install Comet on their devices.

Whether Google will entertain Perplexity’s unprecedented bid remains uncertain, but the move has undoubtedly sparked significant industry interest and speculation.