AI start-up Perplexity makes surprise bid for Google Chrome
The BBC has contacted Google for comment. The firm has not announced any plans to sell Chrome - the world's most popular web browser with an estimated three billion-plus users.
But one technology industry investor called the offer a "stunt" that is a much lower than Chrome's true value and highlighted that it is not clear whether the platform would is even for sale.
Moving Chrome to an independent operator committed to user safety would benefit the public, Perplexity said in a letter to Sundar Pichai, the boss of Google's owner Alphabet.
Google's dominance of the search engine and online advertising market has come under intense scrutiny, with the technology giant embroiled in years of legal wrangling as part of two antitrust cases.
A US federal judge is expected to issue a ruling this month that could see Google being ordered to break up its search business.
The company has said it would appeal such a ruling, saying the idea of spinning off Chrome was an "unprecedented proposal" that would harm consumers and security.
A spokesman for Perplexity told the BBC that its bid marks an "important commitment to the open web, user choice, and continuity for everyone who has chosen Chrome."
As part of the proposed takeover, Perplexity said it would continue to have Google as the default search engine within Chrome, though users could adjust their settings.
The firm said it would also maintain and support Chromium, a widely-used open-source platform that supports Chrome and other browsers including Microsoft Edge and Opera.
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