A.I. Start-Up Perplexity Offers to Buy Google’s Chrome Browser for $34.5 Billion

A small artificial intelligence start-up, Perplexity, has made an ambitious offer to purchase Google's Chrome browser for $34.5 billion. This move comes as the tech industry anticipates a potential antitrust ruling against Google, which could force the company to divest some of its assets. Perplexity, a relatively unknown player in the AI landscape, believes that acquiring Chrome would allow them to leverage the browser's vast user base and integrate their own AI technology. The start-up's leadership claims that this acquisition would create a more "open and competitive" web ecosystem, challenging Google's dominance. However, the feasibility of Perplexity's offer and its ability to execute such a significant transaction remain uncertain. Google has not yet responded to the proposal, and industry experts are skeptical about the start-up's ability to pull off a deal of this magnitude. The potential acquisition highlights the ongoing scrutiny and regulatory pressure faced by tech giants like Google, as policymakers seek to address concerns about market concentration and anticompetitive practices.