Perplexity Wants to Buy Google Chrome for $34.5 Billion, but That Won't Be Enough

Core Viewpoint - Perplexity has made a surprising offer to buy Google Chrome for $34.5 billion, despite being valued at only $18 billion, but it is unlikely that Alphabet will consider selling it due to its importance in the company's ecosystem and ongoing legal challenges regarding its monopoly status [1][2][4]. Group 1: Offer Details - Perplexity's offer of $34.5 billion for Google Chrome is significant, but it is not expected to be sufficient for Alphabet to consider selling [2][4]. - The offer comes in the context of a federal court ruling that Google is operating an illegal monopoly in the advertising space, which has led to discussions about potential remedies, including the sale of Google Chrome [4][5]. Group 2: Alphabet's Position - Alphabet has not shown any interest in selling Google Chrome, and its legal team argues that such a sale could have national security implications [6]. - Google Chrome is crucial for Alphabet's data collection for advertising, making it unlikely that the company would sell it unless all other options are exhausted [7][9]. Group 3: Potential Market Reactions - The offer from Perplexity may trigger a bidding war, with other generative AI companies, such as OpenAI, likely to follow suit with their own offers [7][8]. - If Alphabet were to accept a buyout offer, it would suggest that the company has a replacement browser ready, as it would not easily relinquish its significant advantages in data collection and search engine dominance [9][10].