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🚀 From IIT Madras to Silicon Valley Power Player: The Rise of Aravind Srinivas and Perplexity AI
In 2022, Aravind Srinivas, an IIT Madras graduate and former Google researcher, stepped away from one of the world’s most influential tech giants to launch his own AI startup. Fast forward to 2025, and Perplexity AI is now a $18 billion company—standing toe-to-toe with OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the battle to define the future of AI-powered search.
And in a move that’s as bold as it is headline-grabbing, Perplexity has just offered $34.5 billion in cash to buy Google Chrome, one of the most-used web browsers on the planet.
Introduction
Aravind Srinivas, a proud IIT Madras alumnus and former Googler, launched Perplexity AI in 2022—and within a remarkably short period, he's built it into an $18 billion powerhouse in AI search. Now, in a move that has captured global attention, Perplexity has thrown down the gauntlet: a $34.5 billion offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser.
- Aravind Srinivas, an IIT Madras graduate, co-founded Perplexity AI in 2022 after a stint at Google. Since then, the startup has rocketed to an $18 billion valuation.
- Perplexity AI does not own the Chrome browser. In a bold and unconventional move, the company made an unsolicited all-cash bid of $34.5 billion to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, despite Chrome not being for sale.
- The offer is widely viewed as more of a strategic publicity move than a likely acquisition. Analysts note Chrome's value far exceeds the offer, and Google is resisting any forced sale—even amid antitrust pressure.
Hitting $18 Billion in Just Three Years
In less than three years, Perplexity has ascended from startup status to commanding a valuation of $18 billion, propelled by explosive revenue growth—from $35 million to $150 million annually—and influential backers including Nvidia, SoftBank, Jeff Bezos, and Yann LeCun.
Aravind's journey is more than just corporate success—it’s deeply personal, rooted in his mother’s aspiration for him to enter IIT, and now fueling a global solution-driven enterprise.
The Chrome Bid: Ambitious or Absurd?
Perplexity’s $34.5 billion all-cash bid to buy Google Chrome—in the context of antitrust legal battles—is as bold as it is unconventional. The proposal includes pledges to:
- Preserve Chromium—the open-source engine—freely and securely;
- Keep Google as the default search engine;
- Invest $3 billion into development and support over two years.
If successful, acquiring Chrome would give Perplexity unrivaled access to 3+ billion users, instantly catapulting the startup into the core of AI-powered information access.
Reality Check: Is This for Real?
While dramatic, analysts largely see the offer as a sophisticated PR move. Chrome’s true value may exceed $50 billion—making the bid appear underpriced.
Moreover, Google shows no inclination to sell, and legal wrangling could delay any divestiture for years.
The move has nonetheless shaken conversations across the tech world, spotlighting Perplexity as a daring contender in the AI search space—and underscoring the rising tension between AI startups and tech behemoths.
💡 The Vision Behind Perplexity AI
At its core, Perplexity AI is trying to reinvent how we search. Unlike traditional engines, it delivers conversational, citation-backed answers rather than just lists of links. It’s built for clarity, trust, and speed in the age of AI.
What makes this story even more compelling is Aravind’s background. The son of a single mother who dreamed of seeing him at IIT, Srinivas’ journey is one of talent, ambition, and a deep belief in accessible knowledge. Now, he’s leading one of the fastest-growing AI startups in history, with backing from tech legends like Jeff Bezos, Nvidia, and SoftBank.
📈 $18 Billion and Climbing
From $35 million in annual revenue in 2024 to a projected $150 million+ in 2025, Perplexity AI’s growth has been nothing short of explosive. This isn't just another AI tool—it's shaping up to be a real competitor to Google Searchitself.
The company’s valuation hit $18 billion in 2025, making it one of the most valuable AI startups globally. And it’s done so in just three years.
🧠 The Chrome Shockwave: $34.5 Billion All-Cash Bid
In what some call genius and others a PR stunt, Perplexity has made an unsolicited all-cash offer to acquire Chromefrom Google. The proposed deal includes:
$34.5 billion cash offer
Keeping Google as Chrome's default search engine
Ensuring Chromium remains open-source
Investing $3 billion into browser innovation
Why? Because owning Chrome would instantly give Perplexity access to over 3 billion users worldwide—a launchpad to challenge not just ChatGPT, but the entire structure of web search and browsing.
Of course, Google has not responded favorably. Chrome isn’t for sale, and analysts note that its true market value may far exceed the bid. But even if the deal never closes, the message is clear: Perplexity AI is playing for keeps.
🌍 From Madras to Mountain View: A Story of Grit and Disruption
Aravind Srinivas’s journey is a blueprint for Indian innovation going global. Educated at IIT Madras, trained at Google and OpenAI, and now the CEO of a company valued at more than Twitter was when Elon Musk bought it, he’s become a symbol of next-gen tech entrepreneurship.
His company is helping redefine how we find information in an AI-driven world—faster, smarter, and more transparent.
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🔮 What’s Next?
Whether the Chrome bid goes through or not, Perplexity has already made its mark. It’s forcing Big Tech to take AI search seriously. It’s winning over users tired of ad-filled, clickbait search results. And it’s proving that the next Google might not come from Silicon Valley—it might come from the mind of an IITian.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Aravind Srinivas founded Perplexity AI in 2022 after working at Google and OpenAI.
The company is now valued at $18 billion and is a serious ChatGPT competitor.
In 2025, Perplexity made a $34.5B bid to buy Google Chrome—a bold move amid antitrust scrutiny.
While the offer may not succeed, it highlights Perplexity’s mission to own the future of search.
Conclusion
Perplexity AI’s meteoric rise from IIT Madras roots to commanding an $18 billion valuation—and now making waves with a bold Chrome acquisition bid—is emblematic of shifting power dynamics in tech. Whether a stunt or future game-changer, it signals that the AI era is redefining who controls how we search and access information.
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