First $\ell^2$-Betti numbers and proper proximality

Abstract: We show that for a countable exact group, having positive first $\ell^2$-Betti number implies proper proximality in this sense of \cite{BoIoPe21}. This is achieved by showing a cocycle superrigidty result for Bernoulli shifts of non-properly proximal groups. We also obtain that Bernoulli shifts of countable, nonamenable, i.c.c., exact, non-properly proximal groups are OE-superrigid.