The AI startup Perplexity has made headlines with an audacious $34.5 billion cash offer to buy Google’s Chrome browser, a move that most analysts are calling a savvy but likely unsuccessful publicity stunt. The bid comes as Google faces pressure from the U.S. government to sell off its dominant browser as part of a major antitrust case.
Perplexity, an AI-powered search engine, is trying to capitalize on this regulatory pressure. The company says it would keep Chrome’s underlying code open-source and even keep Google as the default search engine, a move designed to ease regulatory fears. However, there are a few major problems with the offer. First, Google has shown no interest in selling Chrome, which is a critical part of its business. Second, the $34.5 billion price tag is well below the $50 billion some experts think Chrome is worth.
Then there’s the question of money. Perplexity is a young company, founded just three years ago, and the bid is more than double its own $14 billion valuation. While the company claims to have financing lined up, it hasn’t said from where. This all makes the bid look a lot like Perplexity’s previous high-profile, but ultimately unsuccessful, attempt to merge with TikTok.
While the chances of the deal happening are slim to none, the bid is a brilliant marketing move. It gets Perplexity’s name in the headlines and draws attention to its AI-powered browser, Comet. In the end, it’s a high-stakes gamble that will likely fail to dent Chrome’s dominance but will succeed in putting the ambitious startup on the map.
