Perplexity AI, a fairly new artificial intelligence company, has surprised the tech world by making a $34.5 billion offer to buy Google Chrome, the world’s most popular web browser. The company, which is backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and chipmaker Nvidia, is led by a former Google and OpenAI employee. The announcement immediately caught the attention of industry experts and investors, many of whom are questioning the seriousness and feasibility of the bid.
Some experts have called the offer a “stunt,” saying it is far below the real value of Chrome. Google Chrome has around three billion users worldwide and is considered a critical part of Google’s dominance in search and online advertising. Analysts estimate that the browser could be worth much more than the amount Perplexity is offering, possibly ten times higher. Additionally, it is not clear whether Google is even considering selling Chrome, adding to the uncertainty around the move.
The timing of the bid is interesting because Google is already under intense scrutiny from U.S. regulators. A federal judge may soon order the company to break up its search business, a decision Google plans to appeal. The company has said that spinning off Chrome would be “unprecedented” and could harm both consumers and online security. Perplexity, on the other hand, argues that taking Chrome under an independent operator could benefit users by protecting their choice and maintaining user safety.
Perplexity has promised that if the deal goes through, Google will remain the default search engine in Chrome, though users would have the option to change their settings. The company also said it would continue to support Chromium, the open-source platform that powers Chrome and other browsers like Microsoft Edge and Opera. These assurances are aimed at showing that the company wants to keep the browser reliable and accessible to everyone.
Perplexity itself is a rising player in the generative AI space, competing with well-known platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. The company recently launched its own AI-powered browser called Comet. However, it has faced legal challenges, including accusations from the BBC for reproducing content without permission. Earlier this year, Perplexity also made headlines when it offered to buy the U.S. version of TikTok, showing that the company has big ambitions and is willing to make bold moves in tech.
Although the bid has drawn attention, it is not yet clear how Perplexity would fund such a huge acquisition. Many investors remain skeptical, suggesting that unless backed by a much larger investment from figures like Elon Musk or Sam Altman, the offer is unlikely to succeed. For now, the tech world is watching closely to see if Perplexity’s bold plan could actually change the future of one of the most widely used web browsers in the world.
As tech companies like Perplexity and D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) continue to make inroads in the industry, more mergers and acquisitions to expand scope or reach are likely to keep hitting the headlines from time to time.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/QBTS
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