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LG added unremovable Microsoft AI feature to Smart TVs [1]

['Rob Beschizza']

Date: 2025-12-20  

A software update pushed to LG smart TVs added a button for Microsoft Copilot, the tech giant's AI assistant, and offered no way to remove it. The implication was that Microsoft paid them to do this, to pump its AI numbers, and users were displeased.

The controversy centers on a Reddit post in the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit, where a user lamented the unexpected addition of Copilot following an automatic update. The post, which garnered thousands of upvotes and comments, describes the AI tool appearing as a non-deletable app on the TV's interface. Users echoed similar experiences, expressing dismay over what they perceive as forced bloatware. This isn't an isolated incident; it aligns with LG's history of integrating advertising and third-party services into its webOS platform, but the inability to uninstall Copilot marks a new level of imposition.

This appears to be the thread at Reddit.

They're still trying to figure out how to make money from Ai and the strategy seems to be "we're putting it in absolutely everything whether you like it or not."

None of them are making money off it, it's only a money sink.

People are increasingly seeing it for what it is, a prettier delivery of a search engine that guesses. Sure that glosses over a lot of the other "content" creation type features but the average consumer doesn't need, or even want that.

After the backlash, LG reportedly will "let" owners delete the Copilot tile.

LG US' Director of Public Relations Chris De Maria told us that the inclusion of Microsoft Copilot on LG TVs was provided as "a shortcut icon to enhance customer accessibility and convenience," and said, "It is not an application-based service embedded in the TV." As such, the company says features such as microphone input are only activated by customer consent, because the shortcut opens Microsoft's website through the TV's web browser. Regardless, LG says that it "respects consumer choice and will take steps to allow users to delete the shortcut icon if they wish."

Speaking generally about this phenomenon, not specifically about LG: if AI is so great, why do they have to force everyone to use it? When you complain, why do tech guys start raving about the machine's emotions? Check this out on an official Microsoft support forum from someone claimed to be an employee:

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2025/12/20/lg-forced-unremovable-microsoft-ai-tile-to-smart-tvs.html

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