Perplexity, a company specializing in AI search, has made a surprise offer to Google to sell the Chrome browser for $34.5. Its representative confirmed this intention.
The change of ownership of Chrome and, presumably, the way it operates, could determine the future of the Internet. Perplexity spokesman Jesse Dwyer confirmed CNN details of the offer, which was first reported The Wall Street Journal. The intention to acquire the browser came as Google waited for the final court decision in the antitrust case.
Last year’s ruling recognized that the Internet giant violated the US antitrust laws. The US Department of Justice proposed to sell Chrome for its own legal protection. Google promised to appeal the decision and called the idea of separating Chrome «an unprecedented proposal» that would harm consumers. Google declined to comment on the acquisition.
Perplexity has been around for about three years, its search tool uses AI to analyze web content and provide answers in the form of summaries with links to sources. In December 2022, the startup launched an AI-based search engine that competes with Google. In July 2025 Perplexity has launched its own web browser Comet. The company positions it as a more personalized browser that combines calendars, browsing tabs, social media, etc.
As Jesse Dwyer told CNN, Perplexity would retain the current page view settings, as well as Google as the default search engine, if acquired. The company also commits to providing continuous availability and support for Chrome for 100 months and investing $3 billion in Chromium development over the next two years. According to Dwyer, Perplexity made the offer because it “believes in the open Internet.”
Interestingly, the company is worth almost half of the offer it made. As reported by Bloomberg Perplexity is most recently estimated to be worth $18 billion after its last funding round, when it raised $100 million. Earlier this year, Perplexity announced an attempt to buy TikTok as part of a US law that requires ByteDance’s Chinese parent company to be outside of China to maintain access to the app in the United States.
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