Perplexity's $34.5 Billion Bid for Google Chrome: A Bold Move in the AI Search Race

Reviewed byNidhi Govil

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AI startup Perplexity makes an audacious $34.5 billion offer to buy Google Chrome, following an antitrust ruling against Google. The bid, backed by venture funds, aims to reshape the search engine landscape.

Perplexity's Audacious Bid for Google Chrome

In a stunning move that has sent shockwaves through the tech industry, AI startup Perplexity has made an unsolicited all-cash offer of $34.5 billion to acquire Google's Chrome browser

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. This bold bid comes in the wake of Google's recent antitrust loss, which could potentially force the tech giant to divest its market-leading browser.

Source: Economic Times

Source: Economic Times

The Antitrust Context

The offer follows a ruling by U.S. Federal Judge Amit Mehta that Google has maintained an illegal monopoly in the internet search industry

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. As part of the proposed remedies, Google may be required to sell off Chrome, creating an opportunity that Perplexity is eager to seize.

Perplexity's Strategic Vision

Perplexity, known for its AI-powered search engine and chatbot, sees the acquisition of Chrome as a potential game-changer in the AI search race. The company has pledged to keep Chromium open-source, invest $3 billion in the project over two years, and maintain Google as the default search engine

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Financial Backing and Valuation

The $34.5 billion offer is more than twice Perplexity's current valuation, estimated between $14-18 billion

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. The company claims the bid is backed by various venture funds, although specific details have not been disclosed. Perplexity has raised approximately $1.5 billion to date, with notable backers including Accel, Softbank, Bessemer, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos

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Industry Reactions and Potential Competition

The bid has sparked diverse reactions within the tech community. Some experts view it as a publicity stunt, while others see it as a strategic move to gain control over a crucial gateway to the web

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. The offer could potentially trigger a bidding war, with other tech giants like OpenAI expressing interest in acquiring Chrome if it becomes available

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Source: Observer

Source: Observer

Perplexity's Browser Ambitions

This is not Perplexity's first foray into the browser market. The company recently launched its own AI-powered browser called Comet, built on Chromium

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. Reports suggest that Perplexity had previously made attempts to acquire other browsers, including a $1 billion bid for Brave and discussions with DuckDuckGo and The Browser Company

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The Road Ahead

Source: Ars Technica

Source: Ars Technica

As the tech world awaits Judge Mehta's ruling on remedies in the Google antitrust case, expected later this month, the future of Chrome hangs in the balance

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. Google has vowed to fight the ruling and has not indicated any willingness to sell Chrome

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. However, if forced to divest, the sale of Chrome could reshape the landscape of web browsers and AI-powered search, with Perplexity positioning itself at the forefront of this potential shift.

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