Perplexity AI has offered to buy Google’s Chrome browser for US$34.5 billion. Several venture investors have proposed funding the acquisition.

This follows a US Department of Justice proposal that Google divest Chrome after losing an antitrust suit last year.

Chrome, launched in 2008, is a key part of Google’s ad business by supplying user data for targeted ads.

The DOJ argued that divesting Chrome would weaken Google’s control over internet search and increase competition.

Perplexity launched its own AI-powered browser, Comet, last month and previously tried to merge with TikTok.

Google has not said how it will respond to the antitrust ruling or Perplexity’s offer.

Perplexity was valued at US$18 billion in July 2025.

🔗 Source: CNBC

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Antitrust enforcement creates unexpected acquisition opportunities for challengers

Perplexity’s Chrome bid demonstrates how regulatory pressure can open doors for competitors to acquire previously untouchable assets.

Google has faced sustained antitrust scrutiny for over a decade, including €2.42 billion in EU fines for search practices in 2017 and €1.49 billion for advertising abuse in 201912.

The DOJ’s current push to force Chrome divestiture stems from a judge ruling that Google illegally monopolized the search market, creating the first realistic opportunity for competitors to bid on the browser.

Chrome’s 3 billion users and analyst valuations between $20-50 billion make it a strategic prize that would normally be impossible for any company to acquire from Google3.

The timing shows how regulatory actions can suddenly transform industry-leading assets from untouchable to potentially available, creating windows of opportunity for ambitious competitors.

2️⃣ AI funding surge enables startups to bid far beyond their current valuations

Recent Perplexity developments