Many owners of LG smart televisions, among them members of the Engadget team, were caught off guard this week by the unexpected addition of what appeared to be a persistent Microsoft Copilot feature on their screens. In response to the concerns, an LG official has confirmed that the firm intends to implement options for customers to remove the icon at their discretion.
The company clarified that this Copilot symbol serves merely as a quick access point to activate the artificial intelligence assistant through the television's internet browser, rather than functioning as a built-in program. Inquiries regarding the exact timeline for this deletion capability have gone unanswered so far.
The incident echoes the backlash from U2's unsolicited iTunes distribution years ago, highlighting how unsolicited features can irk users despite being complimentary. With smart televisions often criticized for privacy shortcomings, the abrupt introduction of an AI tool was bound to draw negative reactions from those seeking control over their device integrations.