Copilot will remain built into Tizen OS, and Samsung seems keen to push chatbots into its TVs, even by introducing Perplexity’s first TV app. Amazon, which rolled out Fire TVs with Alexa+ this year, is also testing chatbot features for TVs.
In light of the backlash LG faced this week, manufacturers might think twice about preinstalling AI apps on consumers’ smart TVs. A more sensible use of large language models in TVs could be as behind-the-scenes tools that improve viewing. Most people don’t buy smart TVs to make it easier to access chatbots.
Yet this trend is troubling for anyone who doesn’t want an AI chatbot on their TV at all.
Some viewers don’t want chatbots in their TVs
Lightweight generative AI integrations that help you identify “that movie” can be practical, but there are good reasons to be wary of TVs equipped with chatbots.
Introducing chatbots creates another layer of complexity around how a TV tracks user activity. With a chatbot involved, smart TV owners face convoluted smart TV privacy policies and terms of service, along with the equally verbose rules of third‑party AI firms. That makes it harder to know what data is being shared, and there’s already serious concern about how far smart TVs are going to track users, including without consent.
Chatbots can also add to smart TV bloat. Unwanted extras — games, shopping shortcuts, and flashy ads — already interrupt people who simply want to watch TV.
LG’s Copilot web app invites some criticism, but not merely because of an icon users may later delete. The more urgent issue is the TV industry’s shift toward monetizing software through user tracking and ads.
If you haven’t already, now is a good time to read our guide to breaking free from smart TV ads and tracking.
