In a bold and unexpected move, AI-powered search engine Perplexity has offered to buy Google Chrome for $34.5 billion in cash, according to Reuters. The company confirmed the offer to TechCrunch.
Perplexity says its proposal comes with a pledge to keep Chromium, the open-source engine behind Chrome, fully open to the public — and to invest an additional $3 billion into its ongoing development. The company also promises not to tamper with user defaults, meaning Google would remain the default search engine in Chrome rather than being swapped for Perplexity’s own AI-driven search.
Google has not yet commented on the offer.
This bid follows a March proposal from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which suggested Google might have to sell Chrome after a judge found the tech giant guilty of illegally maintaining a monopoly in online search. Google has pushed back against the idea and intends to fight the ruling, but a court decision on potential remedies could arrive later this month.
The case isn’t Chrome’s only legal storm. Google is also facing another federal antitrust ruling over its advertising business, with the DOJ pushing for the company to divest two major adtech products or break up the division entirely.
When the DOJ first floated the idea of a Chrome divestiture, both Perplexity and OpenAI expressed interest. With Chrome holding 68% of the global browser market, any forced sale would likely attract bids from tech players around the world. 
Interestingly, DuckDuckGo’s CEO testified earlier this year that Chrome might be worth “upwards of $50 billion,” which could make Perplexity’s offer seem like a bargain if it goes through.
Still, the move is a financial stretch for the startup. Perplexity has raised about $1.5 billion so far, including a recent $100 million funding extension that valued the company at $18 billion — far less than its offer price for Chrome.
Meanwhile, Perplexity has been expanding aggressively. Just last month, it launched its own browser, Comet, to grow its AI search audience without relying on platforms owned by competitors like Google. And in another headline-making move, the company reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok.
Whether this $34.5 billion play for Chrome is a bold strategic masterstroke or an ambitious long shot remains to be seen.
