Perplexity Bids $34.5 billion for Chrome Amid Antitrust Trial

- Perplexity offers $34.5 billion for Chrome amid Google antitrust case. - Bid positions AI startup as potential buyer if Google is forced to divest. On August 12, 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported that AI startup Perplexity submitted a $34.5 billion all-cash offer for Google’s Chrome browser. This proposal coincides with a major U.S. antitrust case after a federal court recently found Google guilty of illegally monopolizing the search market, which sparked discussions about potential remedies. Perplexity, valued at $18 billion and backed by significant venture capital, presents itself as a solution to these monopoly concerns. The bid underscores Perplexity’s ambition to acquire Chrome, a cornerstone of Google’s business with over 3.5 billion users and a global market share exceeding 60%. As Judge Amit Mehta deliberates on remedies, Perplexity is positioning itself as a capable, independent operator. The judge is considering if forcing Google to divest Chrome would effectively promote competition in the industry. Google, however, strongly opposes this divestiture. CEO Sundar Pichai argues that selling Chrome would harm its broader business operations, deter technology investments, and create security vulnerabilities. Despite this, Judge Mehta noted in earlier hearings that a clean divestiture could offer a more elegant solution than other remedies. The court will announce its decision on the matter later this month. To address concerns from regulators and developers, Perplexity made a pledge. If its bid succeeds, the company will keep Google as Chrome’s default search engine while still allowing users to change it. Perplexity also committed to supporting the open-source Chromium project, which would ensure the browser's core functionality remains intact for its vast user base. The Wall Street Journal's August 12 report also noted that Perplexity has secured the financial backing to pay the full purchase price. This comes even as the startup faces its own legal disputes with News Corp subsidiaries. The bid highlights the startup’s drive to expand its presence in the tech ecosystem and attempt to reframe the narrative around Google’s business practices.