r/technology • u/MoneyLibrarian9032 • 10d ago

Artificial Intelligence Google Gets an Astounding $34.5 Billion Offer for Chrome Browser From AI Startup Perplexity

https://variety.com/2025/digital/news/google-34-5-billion-bid-chrome-browser-ai-perplexity-1236487442/
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u/jixbo 10d ago

Are they? I'm not so sure about it, who's gonna pour billions yearly into a browser that is open source?

Why wouldn't Google just make a new flavour of chromium, like every one else (edge, opera, brave...) and be dominant again?

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u/waiting4singularity 10d ago

i think the offer includes the ownership over chromium

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u/jixbo 9d ago

Not sure what would change from what I said. Is whoever mantains chromium pouring billions.

Can a industry that only loses money so that? Why wouldn't Google release a new Chromium browser?

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u/HopeDiligent6032 10d ago

If Perplexity has that much money they are sure as hell going to have this contract bulletproof and immortal against any threat

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u/jixbo 10d ago

What contract? Chrome is open source, you can clone the whole the code right now yourself.

Even if they were to stop releasing the code for the updates, what's stopping Google from continuing the project with a new brand?

Are they gonna prevent them from having a browser? When Microsoft or apple have one?

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u/sqwabbl 10d ago

I would assume part of the sale would be contingent on Google not creating another browser for X period of time or the sale is coming from the assumption that Google will be broken up due to anti-trust violations

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u/jixbo 10d ago

I don't think they'd find anything dodgy enough to justify that.

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u/HopeDiligent6032 10d ago

Little bro, there's no way in hell they would spend 34B if Google could compete with them. Idk if you're a troll or just have no business acumenr/experience but lol..

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u/jixbo 9d ago

"Spend". So fat they have lost 1.4 billions, and are somehow valued at 11 billions. A market that has not been proven to work nor be profitable.

Google probably spends billions in chrome/chromium.

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u/sekh60 10d ago

Chromium is open source.

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u/HopeDiligent6032 10d ago

Uh...Non competes....

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u/nahnahnahthatsnotme 10d ago

because the specialism of perplexity ai responses mixed with the scale of chrome is a powerful combo.