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San Francisco–based artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI made a $34.5 billion offer to acquire Google’s Chrome web browser on Tuesday, a move it says would address potential antitrust remedies in the United States.
The proposal, outlined in a letter of intent by Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, argues that Chrome should be operated by an independent entity committed to continuity, openness, and consumer protection.
The offer comes as Google awaits a ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta, who is set to decide by the end of the month on remedies after last year’s decision that the company maintained an illegal monopoly in online search.
U.S. government lawyers have urged that Google divest Chrome, warning that the integration of artificial intelligence could further strengthen Google’s dominance as a gateway to the internet.
Google has opposed any divestment, saying it would harm innovation and diminish product quality, noting that Perplexity already operates a competing browser.
Critics also argued that removing Chrome from Google’s portfolio would disadvantage smaller players and reduce user benefits. Google attorney John Schmidtlein warned that because over 80% of Chrome users are outside the United States, divestiture would have global consequences.
Chrome has been the world’s most widely used web browser for over a decade and remains a core business area for Google. According to StatCounter, a web traffic analytics platform, the browser held a 67.9% global market share as of July 2025.
DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg said in April that Chrome could be valued at more than $50 billion, citing its dominant position in the global browser market and long-standing integration with Google’s ecosystem.
Perplexity’s $34.5 billion bid, while significantly higher than the company’s own valuation, remains well below that figure.
Perplexity has raised about $1.5 billion to date, including a $100 million extension round last month that valued the company at $18 billion, as reported by Bloomberg.
Founded in 2022, the San Francisco–based company counts Nvidia and SoftBank among its investors and has emerged as a fast-growing player in the artificial intelligence sector.
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