Google receives ‘longshot’ $34 billion supply for Chrome

U.S. antitrust regulators have been on a roll, and Google might quickly be compelled to promote its common Chrome browser, which is by far the main net browser amongst Individuals.

Now, Google has reportedly acquired a large ‘longshot’ supply from a stunning supply: Perplexity AI.

The Wall Avenue Journal broke the information at the moment that Perplexity AI has reportedly supplied Google $34.5 billion to purchase Chrome, which is stunning for just a few causes. Most notably, Perplexity itself is barely valued at $18 billion, the Journal experiences. Second, whereas the precise valuation of Chrome just isn’t identified, some estimates place the online browser’s worth at both $20 or $50 billion, relying on who’s asking.

Perplexity is finest often called an AI-powered search engine, however the firm just lately launched Comet, an agentic AI browser.

So, how would Perplexity AI fund this supply? Based on the Wall Avenue Journal, Perplexity has the backing of a number of venture-capital funds and different traders, who would again their supply.

OpenAI has additionally reportedly expressed curiosity in shopping for Google Chrome, although it is unclear if Google can be prepared to promote such a preferred asset to its chief AI rival.

All of that is unfolding as tech corporations brace for the ripple results of the Division of Justice’s landmark antitrust case in opposition to Google. Certainly, Google is unlikely to promote Chrome until compelled to take action.

The antitrust case over Google’s monopoly of the search market decided that Google “illegally [monopolized] the search engine and search promoting markets.” Google has already misplaced that case, and now U.S. District Choose Amit Mehta is weighing potential treatments, one of the dramatic being a compelled sale of Chrome.

On the similar time, main tech corporations need to a post-Google Search net financial system and making an attempt to get a head begin within the race for AI browser dominance

Many analysts suppose a sale of Google Chrome is in the end unlikely, however that hasn’t stopped rivals like Perplexity from shifting quick to place their title within the hat. On high of the Chrome query, Choose Mehta may additionally limit Google’s capacity to pay for default search engine placement on browsers and units — a transfer that reportedly had Apple eyeing Perplexity as a possible acquisition goal within the first place.

Chrome boasts roughly 3.5 billion customers worldwide and instructions greater than 60 % of the worldwide browser market — a dominance that makes any speak of a compelled sale one of the consequential antitrust treatments in tech historical past.