Perplexity Makes Bold Bid to Acquire Chrome

In an unexpected move, Perplexity has put forward a substantial offer to acquire Google's Chrome browser, amounting to a whopping $34.5 billion. This offer comes on the heels of Google's recent antitrust loss, which suggests the tech giant might soon be required to part with Chrome as part of legal remedies.

Despite having a valuation of only $14 billion, Perplexity is riding the wave of AI enthusiasm, with investors eagerly funding its ventures, including the AI-enhanced Comet browser. However, the funds for this ambitious bid are primarily sourced from various venture capital firms. Although Perplexity has not disclosed specific details about these financial backers, it's clear the AI industry is fervently supportive.

The necessity for Google to sell Chrome stems from a court suggestion, though Google's resistance is evident as it considers the move a "radical interventionist agenda." Chrome's significance as an open-source project, underlying many browsers beyond Google's control, adds complexity to the potential sale.

Perplexity's offer outlines a significant investment in maintaining Chromium, promising to keep it open-source and not altering the browser's default search engine. This aligns with other tech giants, like OpenAI, who have expressed interest in transforming Chrome into an AI-centric platform, highlighting industry's capacity to manage the browser independently of Google.

The proposed sale awaits a decision from Judge Amit Mehta, who could soon rule on the case's remedies. Meanwhile, Google's stance suggests any divestment, if mandated, will face prolonged legal battles and a notable opposition to AI startups controlling such a pivotal technology.