Mint Explainer | What is behind Perplexity’s $34.5 billion bid for Google Chrome

Mint decodes the bids for the world’s most popular browser.

1) Why is Perplexity interested in acquiring Chrome?

AI-powered web search engine Perplexity wants Chrome because it’s the gateway to over 3 billion users and the dominant player in the AI search race. Chrome underpins Google’s search empire, and owning it would give Perplexity, co-founded by Indian-origin computer scientist Aravind Srinivas, direct access to user behaviour, search traffic, and advertising data.

Perplexity’s own AI browser, Comet, has only about 15 million monthly active users. Acquiring Chrome would catapult it into a leadership position. According to media reports, Perplexity is also in talks with smartphone makers to pre-install Comet on their devices. But buying Chrome would instantly hand it the world’s largest browser, controlling the interface where AI-powered search meets the user.

2) Does Alphabet want to sell Chrome browser?

Google hasn’t announced any plans to sell Chrome. However, a US federal judge ruled in 2024 that the company illegally monopolized search, and the US Department of Justice (DoJ) is pushing for Chrome’s divestiture as a remedy. Another judge is expected to rule this month, potentially ordering Google to break up its search business.

Google has reportedly said it would appeal such an order, calling the idea of spinning off Chrome an “unprecedented proposal" that would harm consumers and security.

Proponents of a split argue that Chrome’s integration with Google Search entrenches its dominance. If forced to sell, Google might comply to avoid harsher penalties or prolonged litigation. Interestingly, Perplexity’s $34.5 billion bid is far below Chrome’s estimated $50 billion market value. Perplexity itself is valued at around $18 billion.

3) How will Perplexity benefit from owning Chrome?

Buying Chrome would give Perplexity a massive distribution channel for its AI-powered search engine. Instead of competing from the sidelines, it could embed its search engine directly into the browser experience.

Perplexity has pledged to keep Google as the default search engine, but the real value lies in the data: browsing patterns, search behaviour, and ad interactions. This data fuels AI training and personalization.

Additionally, Perplexity could monetize Chrome through advertising, partnerships, and premium AI features and get access to Chrome’s engineering talent.

4) Who else is interested in buying Chrome—and why?

OpenAI, Yahoo, and New York-based private equity firm Apollo Global Management have all expressed interest in acquiring Chrome if Google is forced to divest.

OpenAI sees Chrome as a launchpad for an ‘AI-first’ browsing experience, integrating ChatGPT into the browser’s core. OpenAI is also working on its own AI browser, but Chrome purchase will cut its time to market and access a global leader in the browser space.

Yahoo wants to accelerate its search revival by skipping years of browser development. Apollo sees Chrome as a high-value asset with stable cash flows and strategic leverage.

All contenders see Chrome as more than a web browser—it’s a distribution engine for AI, search, and advertising.

5) Perplexity earlier tried to buy TikTok? What happened?

In January, Perplexity offered to buy the US arm of TikTok. The short-video platform, owned by China’s ByteDance, faces a September 2025 deadline to be sold or banned in the US.

Perplexity proposed rebuilding TikTok’s algorithm from scratch and integrating AI-powered fact-checking. It pledged to host infrastructure in the US data centres and ensure transparency.

However, TikTok is in no hurry to sell, and Perplexity’s offer was overshadowed by larger bidders such as Oracle and Microsoft. The bid eventually fizzled out, with some Reddit users dismissing it as a publicity stunt by the San Francisco-based startup.

6) How is AI reshaping the browser business?

As a new generation of AI users turns to chatbots like ChatGPT and Perplexity for answers, browsers are becoming vital gateways to search traffic and user data—central to Big Tech’s AI ambitions.

For example, Copilot integrated within the Microsoft Edge browser acts as an AI companion users can interact with directly within the browser.

AI is transforming browsers from passive tools into intelligent workspaces, summarizing articles, rewriting content, extracting data, and automating workflows. This shift improves productivity, speeds up research, and collaboration. Instead of juggling tabs and apps, users interact with a unified, intuitive interface that anticipates needs and improves focus.

The browser is no longer just a gateway to the web — it’s becoming an intelligent assistant for the users.

Perplexity’s Comet already offers AI features that perform tasks on behalf of the user. Acquiring Chrome would give it access to more than 3 billion users, boosting its ability to compete with giants like OpenAI.

7) What else could drive a potential sale of Chrome?

Today, Chrome is not just a browser; it’s a platform for AI integration, user data, and search monetization. Rivals like OpenAI and Perplexity are building AI-native browsers, while regulators see Chrome’s dominance as a barrier to innovation. They want to prevent Google from extending its monopoly into AI-powered search.

Selling Chrome could democratize access to browser-based AI, open up competition, and reshape how users interact with the web. Interestingly, Perplexity is also seen as an acquisition target with technology giants including Apple and Facebook-owner Meta, reportedly showing interest.

In the coming weeks and months, expect the AI–browser convergence to grow beyond Perplexity’s Chrome bid—potentially reshaping the internet’s next chapter.