AI is everywhere, including places that no one wants it. The latest example of the technology’s proliferation being forced down users’ throats, likely in the name of artificially inflating growth metrics, appears to be LG brand smart TVs. Tom’s Hardware spotted a number of owners taking to Reddit to complain about the fact that their TVs now have an apparently unremovable Microsoft Copilot app living on their homescreen.
According to users, the Copilot app was inserted into their TV interfaces following a recent update to webOS, the Linux-based operating system that fell under LG’s control back in 2013. Upon installing the update, a Copilot app reportedly showed up on the TVs at startup. To make matters worse, it seems that the app cannot be deleted, living alongside other apps for streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu.
LG previously said that it would integrate Copilot into its TVs. At CES 2025, the company made an effort to position itself as the “AI” TV company, announcing that it would introduce an AI section to the webOS platform. It also started calling its remote an “AI Remote” and claimed that the introduction of Copilot would help users “efficiently find and organize complex information using contextual cues.” What complex information are they organizing on their TVs? Who can say?
Regardless, it seems the Copilot app won’t be going anywhere for LG owners. Per the manual the company provides with its smart TVs, “You cannot delete the preinstalled apps or system apps on your Smart TV, so the trash bin does not appear when you select these apps.”
The company also isn’t the only one giving its users access to AI tools whether they want them or not. Google’s Gemini is built into new TCL models, and Perplexity’s search engine is reportedly making its way to Samsung TVs. Samsung also announced earlier this year that it’d start supporting Microsoft’s Copilot, though it at least seems like it won’t be by installing a permanent billboard for the tool on the homescreen.
But no company seems to be as committed to the AI bit as LG. Per The Verge, the latest models of the company’s TVs come littered with AI branding that extends well beyond the Copilot app, with features branded as “AI Picture Pro” and “AI Sound Pro.” There’s even a built-in chatbot, in case you feel lonely while endlessly browsing options of what to stream.
Gizmodo reached out to LG for comment, but did not hear back at the time of publication.
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