Perplexity AI offers $34.5-B to acquire Chrome browser

The bid is considered modest but exceeds the market value of the start-up, estimated at USD14 billion. (Pexels Photo)

By WAM, Philippine News Agency

WASHINGTON – Perplexity AI has made a USD34.5 billion offer to acquire the Chrome browser owned by Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet.

The bid is considered modest but exceeds the market value of the start-up, estimated at USD14 billion.

Perplexity aims to use the potential acquisition to gain an advantage in the artificial intelligence search race by leveraging Chrome’s user base, which exceeds 3 billion people.

The move comes as Google faces regulatory pressures and plans to appeal a US court ruling last year that found it had unlawfully monopolized internet search.

According to Reuters, citing a person familiar with the matter, several funds have offered to fully finance the deal.