Perplexity just dropped a $34.5 billion all-cash offer to buy Google Chrome, sources confirm to TechCrunch. The deal is unsolicited but serious.
Terms include keeping Chrome’s engine, Chromium, open source. Perplexity promises to pump $3 billion into Chromium development. No changes to user defaults either: Chrome’s default search stays Google, not Perplexity’s AI-powered search.
This comes after the DOJ pushed Google to sell Chrome following a judge’s antitrust ruling. Google is not playing ball and vows to fight the decision. 
Perplexity’s spokesperson expects a court ruling on remedies later this month. Google is also battling another federal antitrust case over adtech, where forced divestitures loom.
Both OpenAI and Perplexity showed interest when the DOJ first nudged Google to divest Chrome. Chrome holds a dominant 68% browser market share, so plenty of big bids are expected if it sells.
DuckDuckGo’s CEO claimed Chrome could fetch over $50 billion. Perplexity’s offer looks like a bargain compared to that.
Perplexity’s valuation is currently $18 billion after recent funding rounds, so this bid is leaps beyond their raised capital of around $1.5 billion.
Last month, Perplexity launched its own browser, Comet, aiming to grow AI search without relying on Google’s Chrome. Perplexity also reportedly threw its hat in the ring for a TikTok merger.
Google has yet to comment. TechCrunch will update if they respond.
