Is Perplexity Buying Chrome? Here’s What’s Up

1. Shock Unsolicited Bid

On August 12, 2025, Perplexity AI, a young three-year-old search startup, made a whopping $34.5 billion all-cash proposal to Google to acquire its Chrome browser. The bid arrives amidst fierce U.S. antitrust scrutiny of Google’s web search dominance.

2. Valuation Gap

To put it into perspective, Perplexity’s total company valuation is approximately $18 billion, so it’s paying practically twice its own value for Chrome.

3. Strategic Justifications

The offer seems to fit with regulatory trends. A federal judge (Amit Mehta) is weighing remedies for Google’s antitrust abuses—possibly including a compulsory divestment of Chrome.

Perplexity could be indicating to the court that there is an eager buyer, presenting itself as a “competent, stand-alone operator in the public interest.”

4. Promised Commitments

As part of the bid, Perplexity undertakes to:
Maintain Chromium as an open-source platform
Leave Google search as the default engine, although users may alter it
Invest $3 billion in Chrome within two years.

5. Why This Matters

Purchasing Chrome would immediately provide exposure to over 3 billion users, boosting growth in AI-powered search and browsing for Perplexity. For a browser strategic to search traffic, it’s a potentially game-changing deal.

6. Legal & Practical Challenges

Google has not agreed to sell Chrome and will appeal the antitrust decision.

Experts see long legal wars—potentially lasting years—if forced selling is pursued.

Experts wonder if regulators would permit an AI company—even one backed by money—to take over a browser as powerful as Chrome.

7. Public Reaction: Marketing Gimmick or Strategic Move?

Most media and analysts see this as an audacious publicity stunt—a means for Perplexity to increase exposure and send a message about seriousness in the AI-browser arena.

Similar to other speculative AI-era dealmaking, comparisons indicate it’s part of a broader trend of publicity-stunt offers with no intention of closing.

8. Prior Similar Plays

This isn’t the first attempt Perplexity has made at such a brazen play—previously this year, they made a high-profile offer to merge with TikTok US as part of regulatory talks.

Final Take

Perplexity’s $34.5 billion bid to buy Chrome is a dramatic performance at the convergence of AI, competition law, and browser political power struggles. It won’t likely lead to an actual acquisition—but it’s already managed to bring the company to the forefront of global tech discourse.