AI firm Perplexity makes $34.5B bid for Google’s Chrome browser: WSJ

Artificial-intelligence engine start-up Perplexity is reportedly making a $34.5B bid to take over Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) dominant Chrome Web browser — a key piece of the search giant that has been considered for a forced regulatory split in ongoing antitrust court proceedings.

Perplexity itself is valued around $18B, so acquiring Chrome would be a heavy lift, but would amp up Perplexity’s ongoing challenge to Google’s search dominance. Perplexity told The Wall Street Journal it had full backing for the transaction from investors including large venture capital funds.

The company told WSJ that in a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, its offer is “designed to satisfy an antitrust remedy in highest public interest by placing Chrome with a capable, independent operator.”

Chrome has an estimated 60% of the global browser market. But this month judge Amit Mehta is expected to rule on whether Google will be forced to sell it, for a value that could range from $20B to $50B.

Google has resisted overtures from Chrome bidders, so Perplexity going public with an offer may be designed as a signal to Judge Mehta of willing buyers.

And taking over Chrome would supersede (and supercharge) Perplexity’s own AI-centric browser, called Comet.

Perplexity has promised to keep and support Chrome’s open-source Chromium project, and keep Google as Chrome’s default out-of-the-box search engine, according to the report.

Shares in Google parent Alphabet ticked slightly higher on heavier volume following the news: (NASDAQ:GOOG) +1%, (NASDAQ:GOOGL) +1% on the day.