AI Startup Perplexity Reportedly Offers $34.5 Billion for Google’s Chrome Browser

AI startup Perplexity is offering to buy Google’s Chrome, according to a report on Tuesday. 

The unsolicited $34.5 billion bid from Perplexity is worth more than its own valuation at an estimated $18 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Perpexity and Google did not immediately respond to Investopedia requests for comment. 

The offer from Perplexity comes as Google faces uncertainty from an antitrust ruling that could be announced as soon as this week, with a federal judge set to decide what steps Google must take, a year after the company was found to have maintained an illegal monopoly in search. Forcing a sale of Chrome could be part of the decision, something the Department of Justice pushed for last year. 

Google Pushes Back Against Forced Chrome Sale

Google has since argued that a forced sale could harm its business, hold back its ability to develop new technology, and pose a risk to national security, among other things. It’s proposed to adjust exclusive agreements with Apple (AAPL), and other changes as solutions, which could allow more competition. Google has stated that it will appeal the August 2024 monopoly ruling, and potentially the remedy decision.

Some Wall Street analysts have said they view a forced sale as unlikely, with JPMorgan analysts telling clients late last month that they anticipate “prohibition of exclusionary practices & preloading of Google Search (i.e., no exclusive search default on any access point), and not much more.”

Separately, a federal judge ruled in April that Google also has illegally maintained monopolies in the digital advertising sector, which the company said it would appeal.

Shares of Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) closed about 1% higher Tuesday. They’ve added close to 8% since the start of the year.

This article has been updated since it was first published to include additional information and reflect recent share prices.