AI startup Perplexity has submitted an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash proposal to purchase Google’s Chrome browser. The offer comes despite Chrome not being up for sale and is significantly higher than the company’s own $14 billion valuation. Perplexity says the move would help it expand its reach in the AI search market by leveraging Chrome’s global user base of more than three billion.

The three-year-old startup, backed by Nvidia and SoftBank with a current valuation of around $14 billion, is aiming high despite its offer falling well below analysts’ estimates of Chrome’s potential worth. DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg has previously suggested Chrome could fetch $50 billion or more if a forced sale occurred.

Chrome, with over three billion users worldwide, is at the heart of Google’s search dominance. While the tech giant has not indicated any willingness to sell, the bid comes as Google faces intense antitrust scrutiny in the U.S., with the Justice Department seeking a potential divestiture of the browser as a remedy in its ongoing case. A federal judge is expected to deliver a ruling on possible measures later this month.

Perplexity’s proposal promises to:

• Keep Chromium, Chrome’s underlying code, open-source.
• Invest $3 billion over the next two years.
• Maintain Google as Chrome’s default search engine.

The offer follows Perplexity’s earlier headline-making bid to merge with TikTok U.S. in January, aimed at easing political concerns over Chinese ownership. The company already operates its own AI browser, Comet, which can perform tasks on users’ behalf. Acquiring Chrome would significantly boost its ability to challenge rivals like OpenAI, which is reportedly exploring its own AI-powered browser and has also expressed interest in Chrome.

Also Read: OpenAI introduces powerful new features in ChatGPT 5

While multiple unnamed funds are said to be willing to finance the deal fully, industry analysts remain skeptical. Google is expected to resist any sale fiercely, seeing Chrome as central to its AI-driven search features, including Overviews, designed to protect its market share.

Other potential suitors reportedly include Yahoo and Apollo Global Management, adding further intrigue to the unfolding browser battle.

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