Dec 16, 2025
3 min read
Users are not shocked.
AI is everywhere, even where no one wants it.The latest example of the proliferation of technologies that have suffocated users in the name of artificially inflating growth rates appears to be LG-branded smart TVs.Many owners of Tom's Hardware have taken to Reddit to complain that their TVs have the Microsoft Copilot app on their home screens and can't be removed.
According to users, the Copilot software was installed on their TV interface after the last update of webOS, a Linux-based operating system that came under LG's control in 2013.After installing the update, the Copilot app is reported to appear on TVs when launched.To make matters worse, it seems the app can't be uninstalled, it lives alongside other apps for streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu.
LG previously said it would integrate GoPilot into its TVs.At CES 2025, the company tried to position itself as an "AI" TV company, announcing the introduction of an AI module on its webOS platform.It began calling the remote control "an AI remote" and said Copilot's introduction would help users "effectively discover and organize complex information through content tags."What kind of complex information do they arrange on their televisions?Who can tell?
Regardless, it looks like the Copilot app isn't going anywhere for LG owners.According to the manual, the company offers its smart TVs: "You can't remove pre-installed apps or system apps from your smart TV, so when you select these apps, junk won't appear."
The company is also not alone in giving users the opportunity to use AI tools whether they want them or not.Google's Gemini has been developed into new TCL models, and the Perplexity search engine is said to be heading to Samsung TVs.Samsung also announced earlier this year that it will begin supporting Microsoft Copilot, though it doesn't appear to be putting a permanent mark of the tool on the screen.
But no company seems as committed to AI as LG.According to The Verge, the company's latest TV models are packed with AI branding that extends beyond the Copilot app, with features branded as "AI Picture Pro" and "AI Sound Pro."If you feel lonely scrolling through the endless options of what to stream, there's even a built-in chatbot.
We reached out to LG for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
