The unsolicited proposal, confirmed by a Perplexity spokesperson, was delivered to Google’s parent company, Alphabet, on Tuesday morning. Perplexity plans to finance the purchase through backing from multiple large investment funds, though it has not disclosed their names.
This move follows the U.S. government’s push for remedies after a federal court determined that Google illegally monopolized the internet search market. Regulators have suggested divesting Chrome and licensing Google’s search data to competitors as part of a broader strategy to increase competition.
Perplexity’s offer comes shortly after OpenAI reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Chrome. However, some analysts remain skeptical. Colin Sebastian of Robert W. Baird & Co. estimates Chrome’s true value to be closer to $100 billion, calling Perplexity’s bid a significant undervaluation. He also suggested that a forced sale could prove unlikely due to potential disruptions for users and the complexity of separating Chrome from Google’s ecosystem.
Founded in San Francisco, Perplexity has been positioning itself as an AI-powered alternative to Google Search. Earlier this year, the startup raised $100 million at an $18 billion valuation. It has also explored major acquisitions before — including a bid to partner with TikTok’s U.S. operations in the face of a possible ban.
Perplexity says its plan for Chrome would focus on continuity, pledging no hidden modifications and promising to invest $3 billion over the next two years in Chrome and its open-source sibling, Chromium. The company also intends to retain a significant portion of Chrome’s existing talent if the deal is approved.
Google has yet to issue a public response, though the company is currently appealing the antitrust ruling and advocating for less drastic measures, such as changes to its default search engine agreements with Apple, Mozilla, and Android partners.
As AI firms look to integrate intelligent agents into browsers for tasks like online shopping, Perplexity is also preparing to launch its own AI-powered browser, “Comet.” The company maintains that acquiring Chrome would accelerate this vision while maintaining stability for users and advertisers.