LG TVs Get Unremovable Microsoft Copilot App - Gizmodo

LG is pushing AI deeper into its TVs—whether you want it or not. After a recent webOS update, LG smart TV owners report that a Microsoft Copilot app now appears on the homescreen and at startup. Users say it can’t be removed, sitting alongside apps like Netflix and Hulu. Tom’s Hardware spotted multiple complaints on Reddit.

LG has been signaling this shift. At CES 2025, the company leaned hard into AI branding, adding an AI section to webOS, renaming its clicker the "AI Remote," and promoting Copilot as a way to help viewers quickly find and organize information using contextual cues—though many question what "complex information" needs organizing on a TV.

Don’t count on deleting it. LG’s own manual states preinstalled or system apps can’t be removed, which is why no trash bin option appears when selecting them.

The trend isn’t unique to LG: Google’s Gemini is built into new TCL models, and Perplexity’s search is reportedly headed to Samsung TVs. Samsung also plans to support Copilot, but it doesn’t appear to be pinning a permanent homescreen tile for it.

LG’s broader AI push extends beyond Copilot. Per The Verge, recent TV models are packed with AI-branded features like "AI Picture Pro" and "AI Sound Pro," plus a built-in chatbot. Gizmodo asked LG for comment but did not receive a response by publication.

Bottom line: For now, Microsoft Copilot looks like a permanent fixture on many LG TVs following the latest webOS update.

Source: https://gizmodo.com/lg-tvs-get-unremovable-microsoft-copilot-app-2000699870