News Summary

Perplexity AI, an artificial intelligence startup, has made an unsolicited bid to acquire Google’s Chrome browser for $34.5 billion in cash. This bold offer includes a commitment to keep Chromium, the underlying engine of Chrome, open source and invest $3 billion into the project over two years. Despite its valuation of $18 billion, Perplexity’s offer far exceeds the amount it has raised from investors, which stands at approximately $1.5 billion. The move follows a Department of Justice proposal suggesting Google be forced to sell Chrome due to alleged monopolistic practices. If successful, Perplexity pledges not to alter Chrome’s default search engine settings, allowing Google to remain the default. This significant bid comes amidst ongoing legal challenges faced by Google regarding its dominance in online search and adtech markets.