(Reuters) -Nvidia-backed Perplexity AI, the startup challenging Google with its AI-powered search engine, is in discussions with mobile device makers to pre-install its new Comet browser on smartphones, CEO Aravind Srinivas told Reuters on Friday. The move could significantly boost Perplexity’s reach by capitalizing on browser “stickiness”, where users tend to stick with browser apps that are pre-installed or set as default on their devices, potentially driving habitual use of the company’s AI tools. “It’s not easy to convince mobile OEMs to change the default browser to Comet from Chrome,” Srinivas said, referring to original equipment manufacturers and highlighting the challenge of user inertia on mobile platforms.