Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas has jumped into the Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google antitrust conversation by asking his followers on X if his AI startup should acquire the Google Chrome browser.

This comes amid the U.S. Department of Justice's push to break up Google's empire.

What Happened: Srinivas sparked speculation by posting "Should Perplexity buy Chrome?" on X, following reports that Chrome could be valued at up to $20 billion if a court-ordered sale materializes.

The discussion comes after Judge Amit Mehta's August ruling that Google maintains an illegal monopoly in online search. The DOJ is now seeking remedies, including the potential sale of Chrome, the world's dominant web browser.

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Google strongly opposes the proposal. "The DOJ continues to push a radical agenda that goes far beyond the legal issues in this case," said Google executive Lee-Anne Mulholland in a statement.

Why It Matters: Perplexity, founded just two years ago and backed by Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), has shown remarkable growth. The San Francisco-based company is reportedly in talks to raise approximately $500 million in its fourth funding round, potentially pushing its valuation to $8 billion or higher – a significant jump from its $3 billion previous valuation. The company's annualized revenue has reached $50 million, up from $10 million in March.

The AI-powered search engine has gained significant traction, reporting 250 million questions answered in the past month alone, compared to 500 million queries throughout all of last year.

However, the company faces challenges, including criticism from web publishers over content usage rights, with The New York Times issuing a cease-and-desist notice.

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