It feels inevitable that Google will eventually be forced spin off its Chrome web-browser and sell it to the highest bidder. There are just too many concerns over the influence Chrome has regarding Google's stranglehold on web search. But the company's hand has not yet been forced to do so, and you might not have expected AI outfit Perplexity to be the first to put in what seems like a serious offer nonetheless, to the tune of $34.5 billion.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Perplexity put the bid in earlier today, backed by venture capital funding. Google has declined to comment on the offer, but the additional context here is the ongoing legal proceedings regarding Google's monopoly in the search market which include considering whether the company should be forced to sell off Chrome.
