According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the AI startup Perplexity made an unconditional offer of $34.5 billion to acquire Google's Chrome browser on Tuesday. This move aims to challenge the tech giant's dominance in the online search market amid current uncertainties surrounding antitrust rulings.

Perplexity's acquisition offer is significantly higher than its own valuation, which is currently around $18 billion. The company stated that several major venture capital funds have agreed to fully support this transaction, indicating market confidence in its strategy. While it is still unclear how Google will respond to this offer, this move is undoubtedly drawing widespread attention in the industry.

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Image source note: The image was generated by AI, and the image licensing service is Midjourney.

In recent years, the Chrome browser has won the favor of hundreds of millions of users worldwide with its fast, secure, and user-friendly interface. However, as the technology market changes, competition has become increasingly fierce, and many startups are seeking to break the monopolies of large tech companies in certain areas. Perplexity hopes to rapidly expand its market share and provide an alternative search experience by acquiring Chrome, leveraging its large user base and technological advantages.

The founder of Perplexity stated that this acquisition is not only about obtaining technology and users but also about hoping to drive innovation and transformation across the entire industry. Industry experts point out that this transaction could have a significant impact on the future of the online search market, as if successful, Perplexity would become a major force to rival Google.

However, whether the acquisition negotiations can proceed smoothly depends on Google's attitude and the regulatory response from antitrust authorities. Antitrust regulations are becoming increasingly strict in the United States and globally, and Google's market position is facing more scrutiny and challenges.

Although Perplexity's offer seems ambitious, this strategy also carries significant risks. If the deal fails or Google resists the proposal, Perplexity may face major financial and market pressures.

Over the next few weeks, the market will closely watch the progress of this acquisition proposal, especially whether Google will accept this offer and the further actions of antitrust authorities.

Key points:

🌐 Perplexity made an unconditional offer of $34.5 billion to acquire Google's Chrome browser.

💰 This offer is higher than Perplexity's own valuation of $18 billion and has received support from multiple investment funds.

⚖️ This transaction may be subject to review by antitrust authorities, affecting Google's dominant position in the online search market.