AI search startup Perplexity is accelerating its ascent in the global tech arena, now in the midst of raising a fresh funding round that would value the company at $20 billion post-money. This comes just a month after securing an $18 billion valuation and marks a staggering leap from $520 million at the start of 2024, highlighting one of the fastest valuation surges in the AI sector.
The company enjoys the backing of a formidable group of investors, including SoftBank, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos, whose capital and credibility have bolstered market confidence. Fueling this momentum is Perplexity’s annual recurring revenue (ARR), which has skyrocketed to over $150 million—up sharply from approximately $35 million a year ago. This surge underscores the rapid adoption and monetization of its AI-driven search and information services.
Long before making headlines, Perplexity was quietly laying the groundwork for a more aggressive expansion. It had been exploring acquisitions of smaller browser operators as part of a calculated strategy to gain market share, secure key technologies, and establish a stronger browser presence. These preliminary moves paved the way for a much larger, attention-grabbing play.
That play came in the form of a $34.5 billion unsolicited all-cash bid for Google’s Chrome browser—a daring offer nearly twice Perplexity’s own valuation. While many industry analysts see this as a long shot, the timing is strategic. Google is currently under heightened antitrust scrutiny for its dominance in search and browsers, raising the possibility, however remote, that Chrome could one day be divested. Such a scenario would provide a rare opening for a new challenger to seize one of the internet’s most valuable platforms.
Interestingly, some tech observers suggest that Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas may not be pursuing the bid as a purely strategic acquisition, but rather as a high-profile move to amplify the company’s visibility and signal its ambitions to investors, partners, and competitors alike.
Regardless of the outcome, Perplexity’s combination of explosive valuation growth, elite investor backing, and headline-making strategic plays has firmly positioned it as more than just another AI startup. It is emerging as a serious disruptor in AI-powered search and information platforms, with the potential to expand into the broader web ecosystem.
Whether or not the Chrome acquisition materializes, the boldness of Perplexity’s approach has propelled it into the global spotlight—cementing its reputation as a fearless innovator willing to challenge the industry’s most entrenched players.
