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Search AI tool Perplexity appears to think the future of its success lies within internet browsers. The brand recently launched its own browser called Comet with AI built-in from the ground up, and the company has reportedly spent the summer making bids for its rivals.
Earlier this week, the brand made a jaw-dropping bid for Google Chrome, offering $34.5 billion for the search engine. Google may be ordered to break up its search business later this month, and Perplexity wanted to get its offer in early.
It's unlikely to go through and is likely a publicity stunt; remember the TikTok bid? Perplexity itself is only estimated to be worth between $18 and $20 billion. Still, that hasn't stopped it from (publicly) shopping around. As The Information reports, the start-up has considered acquiring several alternative internet browsers and even made a bid for one.
Perplexity reportedly offered $1 billion for security-focused browser Brave. It’s also thought it had conversations with DuckDuckGo and The Browser Co. for its Arc tool. The report says conversations with all three companies happened earlier this summer and have since stalled. That might be why Perplexity moved on to make its big splash bid for Chrome.
In the meantime, Perplexity will continue with its new Comet browser, which is built around real-time information and has AI tech built in. The tool is available to $20-per-month Pro and $200-per-month Max subscribers.
"We will always provide a free version of Perplexity for all users, and that will include Comet," Perplexity says, suggesting that it intends to offer a free version at a later date. For now, it’s limited to Mac and PC, but Perplexity aims to launch on new platforms “in the coming months.”
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