AI startup bids $34B for Google Chrome

Business Aug 18, 2025

Perplexity, an AI startup led by CEO Aravind Srinivas, just made a bold $34.5 billion bid to buy Google Chrome—even though Chrome isn't actually for sale right now.
This move comes as Google faces talk of a possible breakup, and it definitely got people's attention since Perplexity itself is valued at about $18 billion.

Analysts say bid is more of a publicity stunt

Chrome dominates the browser world with over 66% market share and 3.5 billion users, making its user data super valuable—analysts say it's likely worth even more than what Perplexity offered.
The bid also seems like a strategic way for Perplexity to stand out and attract investors as it works on its own AI-powered browsers, especially with big names like OpenAI and Apple in the race.