Perplexity proposes to acquire Google Chrome for $34.5 billion

Perplexity proposes to acquire Google Chrome for $34.5 billion

Source: AppleInsider | Author: Malcolm Owen | August 12, 2025

AI startup Perplexity said it is willing to buy the Chrome browser from Google for $34.5 billion in cash , even though the company's market value is far less than the offer price.

Background and details

• Antitrust pressure <br>Since the U.S. Department of Justice determined in 2024 that Google has a monopoly in the browser market, it has repeatedly asked Google to divest Chrome, but there has been no substantial progress so far.
• Acquisition Proposal
  • Buyer : Perplexity (AI startup, valued at approximately $18 billion ).
  • The offer : $34.5 billion in cash.
  • Funding : The company claims to have received support from several large venture capital firms and is theoretically able to raise funds.
  • Valuation range : The market valuation of Chrome is between $20 billion and $50 billion , and this bid is in the middle.
• Technology and product commitment
  • If the acquisition is successful, the Chromium project will continue to be maintained.
  • Chromium is the core of Chrome and several browsers (Microsoft Edge, DuckDuckGo, Amazon Silk, Opera), as well as Electron applications.

Potential impact

• What it means to Perplexity
  • Currently, it has an AI-guided browser called Comet , but its user base is limited.
  • Acquiring Chrome would instantly gain access to 3.5 billion users and put it in direct competition with mainstream browsers like Apple Safari .
• Challenges for Google
  • Selling Chrome could resolve the pressure from the Department of Justice, but Google strongly opposes the split for the following reasons:
    • Security risks : The transfer may affect browser security maintenance.
    • Data policy changes : Google's existing data collection model may be forced to change.
  • Chrome is also an important source of data for Google's advertising business, which is crucial to the company's revenue.

Controversy and uncertainty

• Trust Issue : On August 4, 2025, Cloudflare accused Perplexity of scraping web pages by circumventing robots.txt restrictions during AI training.
• Other possible sources of acquisition funds :
  • At the end of June 2025, there were rumors that Apple executives were discussing an acquisition with Perplexity, and if it were to happen, they would provide it with huge funds.
• Future Direction : Currently, Google seems unlikely to accept an acquisition by Perplexity or another large company, but if the Department of Justice applies pressure, there may still be room for negotiation in the future.

Source: appleinsider