Perplexity is back in the headlines as the AI startup has made an offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, offering $34.5 billion in a cash deal. While the browser is not on the market for sale. The bid, sent directly to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, aims to position the young AI startup as a stronger competitor in the AI-driven search market.
The interesting part here is that the offer is more than double Perplexity’s own valuation of about $18 billion from recent funding rounds. In its proposal, Perplexity argued that taking Chrome out of Google’s hands and placing it under an independent operator would benefit users, improve competition, and ensure a stronger focus on safety.
