Artificial intelligence start-up Perplexity AI has made a surprise $34.5bn (£25.6bn) takeover bid for the world's most popular web browser, Google Chrome. The three-year-old firm, whose backers include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and chip maker Nvidia, is headed by a former Google and OpenAI employee.

Perplexity, the artificial intelligence start-up challenging Google's search supremacy, has made its boldest move yet. Its unsolicited $34.5 billion bid for Google's Chrome browser follows last week's announcement that San Francisco-based Perplexity had teamed up with Trump Media and Technology Group for a public beta testing of an AI search

Perplexity AI offered Google on Tuesday $34.5 billion for its popular Chrome web browser, which the internet giant could potentially be forced to sell as part of antitrust proceedings. The whopping sum proposed in a letter of intent by Perplexity is nearly double the value of the startup,