The $34.5 billion bid for Google’s Chrome browser by San Francisco-based Perplexity AI, or just plain Perplexity, has left telco investors scratching their heads, like many analysts in the field. However, while the bid undervalues Chrome and at the same time exaggerates Perplexity’s apparent financial capabilities, it makes sense as an early stake in the ground. The move is an attempt to exploit the antitrust turbulence around Chrome. It is, of course, the dominant browser with a 64.86% share of the field, followed by Safari on 18.59% and Microsoft Edge on 5.4%. This dominance spawned the biggest US antitrust trial since the battles with Microsoft in the 1990s, culminating on August 5th, 2024, with the court conclusion that “Google is…