In a stunning turn of events, India’s tech scene is buzzing—Perplexity AI, led by Indian-origin CEO Aravind Srinivas, has made a jaw-dropping all-cash offer of ₹3.02 lakh crore ($34.5 billion) to acquire Google’s world-famous Chrome browser.

What makes this even more remarkable is that Perplexity AI, a mere three-year-old startup, has offered nearly double its own current market value of $18 billion (₹1.5 lakh crore) for the deal.

The Bid: ₹3.02 Lakh Crore for Chrome

According to reports, Srinivas recently submitted the proposal directly to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. The proposed price is unprecedented—suggesting an aggressive push from Perplexity AI to step into the global browser arena.

The Background — Why This Bid Matters

The move comes in the wake of a recent U.S. federal court ruling that found Google guilty of anti-competitive practices in the online search market. The court may order Google to divest Chrome as a remedy.

Industry insiders believe Perplexity’s bid is a strategic pressure play, signaling that Chrome could thrive in the hands of an independent, innovative company.

Key Conditions in Perplexity AI’s Proposal

1. Open-Source Commitment: Chromium’s open-source code will remain available, ensuring other browser developers can still build on it.

2. Future Investment: $3 billion (₹26,000 crore) will be invested into Chrome’s development over the next two years.

3. Job Security: All current Chrome employees will retain their positions.

4. Google Search Default: Google will remain Chrome’s default search engine.

Who is Aravind Srinivas?

Born in 1994 in Madras (now Chennai), Aravind Srinivas earned both his B.Tech and M.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras before completing a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UC Berkeley.

Before founding Perplexity AI in 2022 with Dennis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski, Srinivas gained AI research experience at OpenAI, DeepMind, and Google.

What is Perplexity AI?

Perplexity AI describes itself as an AI-powered “answer engine”—offering direct, source-backed, conversational answers rather than just a list of links.

If the acquisition succeeds, Perplexity AI aims to integrate Chrome into its AI browser project, Comet, which is currently in invite-only testing.

Google’s Response

So far, Google has not issued an official comment. Internal sources suggest the company sees this more as a publicity stunt than a serious threat, with concerns over security, intellectual property, and regulatory hurdles. Alphabet has also indicated it would challenge any court-mandated sale, potentially dragging the matter out for years.

Industry Take

Analysts say this bold offer could be Perplexity AI’s biggest PR move yet, elevating its global profile and drawing attention to Comet. Whether the deal happens or not, Perplexity AI has firmly put itself in the tech world’s spotlight.