LG and Samsung have both announced their 2025 smart TVs at CES this weekend, and some of them will include access to Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant. Both TV manufacturers are chasing the artificial intelligence hype train with dedicated AI sections on their smart TVs that include a shortcut to a Copilot web app.
LG is adding an entire AI section to its TVs and rebranding its remote to “AI Remote,” in an effort to sell consumers on the promise of large language models. While it’s not clear exactly how Copilot works on LG’s latest TVs, the company describes access to Copilot as a way to allow users to “efficiently find and organize complex information using contextual cues.”
LG hasn’t demonstrated its Copilot integration just yet, but it has shown off its own AI Chatbot that’s part of its TVs. It appears Copilot will be surfaced when LG TV users want to search for more information on a particular subject.
Samsung also has its own Vision AI brand for its AI-powered TV features this year, which include AI upscaling, Auto HDR Remastering, and Adaptive Sound Pro. There’s also a new AI button on the remote to access AI features like recognizing food on a screen or AI home security features that analyze video feeds from smart cameras.
Microsoft’s Copilot will be part of this Vision AI section. “In collaboration with Microsoft, Samsung announced the new Smart TVs and Smart Monitors featuring Microsoft Copilot,” says Samsung in a press release. “This partnership will enable users to explore a wide range of Copilot services, including personalized content recommendations.”
I asked Samsung for more information or images of Copilot in action, but the company doesn’t have anything more to share right now. I’ve also asked LG and Microsoft for more information about Copilot on TVs and neither company has responded in time for publication. Without any indication of exactly how Copilot works on these TVs, I’m going to chalk this one up as a gimmicky feature that LG, Samsung, and Microsoft clearly aren’t ready to demo yet.
No one asked for this
TL;DR: “We can’t say what exactly it does, but we’re gonna add it.”
If that isn’t the best endorsement of their new tech. Personally the only AI function I want is skipping ads and I’m pretty sure that one will not be available.
I just bought a new LG TV with QNED screen. It will NEVER be connected to the Internet, or any network. The ‘smart’ part might as well not exist on the TV.
Not even one time for a firmware update?
Especially not one time for a firmware update.
Why would I want a firmware update?
Firmware update for a TV, what a time to be alive.
I had firmware updates for a 1080 Philips TV from ~2010.
You could do it via USB.
I mean, they’ve been displays connected to a mini computer for awhile now…
I know we’re taking about LG, but firmware updates really are as likely to break as to fix core functionality in my experience.
My Hisense TV is automatic, full-on lockdown-until-you-update. You literally can’t use the TV until it updates. And lo and behold, after an update that I did everything to try to decline but couldn’t, we couldn’t connect to the Internet. Cue to 4 months of arguing with Hisense support to get a working TV again - a TV I paid for, to which Hisense applied an update against my will, that broke it.
The only updates I trust at this point and welcome are Valve updates to my Steam Deck.
I’m in this same situation and at least for me, no, not even once for a firmware update.
If the TV is displaying the image that’s coming from whatever input source I’m using, then the firmware is already just fine.
Fair, but I mean, there could be bugfixes, etc, that’ s what firmware updates are for.
I’m not arguing with you really, but at least one firmware update opportunity seems like a good practice for just about everything, IMO. I have a current Samsung TV, and it has been allowed to connect via my guest network exactly one time, after which I deleted the relevant settings.
If you’re just using the HDMI ports, there’s not really many bugfixes you’re likely to need. Most bugfixes will be to the “smart” part. Which, if you don’t want to connect it to the internet, you aren’t using at all.
To each their own, just surprised more people don’t see it as a consideration.
I updated a Phillips (I think?) TV - years ago, so this was over-the-air, not internet - and the built-in Program Schedule started showing adverts that were obviously in the update.
Eventually the ads stopped appearing, so at least there was some form of expiry date, but no, I’m very wary of consumer updates.
TVs should remain as display devices. I even keep the tuner equipment as a separate device to upgrade separately - sorry if that doesn’t increase their market share.
What next? A toaster with butter spreader built-in?
What next? A toaster with butter spreader built-in?
Yes, but the it burns the logo of the highest bidder each month onto your toast.
What next? A toaster with butter spreader built-in?
I mean, that’s at least a feature that you can look at and say “Huh, I’m not lazy enough to use it myself, but I’m glad it’s there for Granny who has arthritis and can’t hold the knife very well anymore” UNLIKE the AI which is basically just there for Samsung/LG to get money from Microsoft and for Microsoft … ??? … Profit???
I’ve needed firmware updates to fix issues with HDR or eARC before.
Yeah, it’s not outside the realm of possibilities. But by far, they’re more likely to be updates for the smart features.
If you want to do firmware updates on a “disconnected” TV, i would recommend putting the firmware update on a usb stick and update the TV that way.
I use my TV as basically just a dumb display panel. If it can display 4k/60, then there is no bug that needs to be fixed. I don’t even use built-in audio.
I connected my other TV to my network once when my Nvidia Shield wasn’t working. That TV is still showing advertisements in the main menu for shows that were released 3 years ago.
Your use case is nearly identical to mine. Still wanted to be sure there weren’t bugs in HDR or other display features that needed to be addressed.
Look I’m not saying ZOMG HOW CAN YOU NOT GET A FIRMWARE UPDATE, I’m just surprised both that so many people don’t and that so many people don’t even seem to see why they might want to.
You’re wasting your breath. These people are smart enough to know that you can connect (hell, even to an ad-hoc network if you’re so f’king paranoid) once to FW update then hard-reset. These people are just being pissy. They also know that “IF dIsPLaY PIcTuRe No BUg PosSiBLe” are absolutely lying to themselves because they’re not actually that technically illiterate.
I hate it when people pretend to be dumb just to continually underscore a feeble point.
I was coming around to that conclusion, but thank you for validating it! :)
I completely understand what you’re saying; in general, I tend to agree that if a firmware update is available, it’s best to install it. I keep the firmware up to date on all my networking equipment, and the first thing I do when I set up a new PC is install Windows updates (or apt-get update in Linux).
I have two TVs. One in the living room, and one in the bedroom. After the brief time I had my bedroom TV connected to my network, it immediately started serving me advertisements. I hate ads with a passion. When it comes to network security, privacy probably comes second to blocking ads in terms of priority. When it came time to replace my living room TV, I first tried to repair it, but after spending too much on a replacement mainboard that didn’t do shit, I just bought a new TV. There was no way in hell I was letting it connect to the internet and download advertisements.
I have an extensive Zigbee network for home automation, 10GB fiber links between my servers and my home office, etc. My home is very much “connected.” TVs are just one of those things that I will never, ever, under any circumstances, allow to connect to anything other than a video cable. If I’m paying $1000 or more for a device, I’ll be damned if it’s going to show me advertisements.
Not OP but I have the same stance that none of my TVs will connect to the internet.
It was going well until my in-laws watched our home and ended up connecting our Vizio tv all they could watch Netflix…
It updated the firmware and now the volume controls are all messed up.
Omg I hate Vizio TVs so much.
What so they can update their tv to add Microsoft’s ai shit?
Can’y speak for every TV, but some of them should support downloading the firmware update from the manufacturer, tossing it on a USB stick, and plugging the USB into the TV to update.
Just use a thumb drive
Gross.
Miss the days when you could buy a dumb TV and add the tech you wanted.
You can still, they do have HDMI ports.
Yes they do and I do add my own tech but my experience with some of these devices has not been great.
I have LG TVs which I connected to the network and have been updated over the years to have really bad UX and are now polluted with ads.
I had an LG sound bar that was great for a while until it completely stopped working. Powers on, all functions seem to work, just no sound. Originally it worked as a Chromecast device too, but they stopped doing updates and Google stopped working with the old API.
My fear is that eventually there will be an update that bricks a device. Now I’ve taken them off the network, but how long before we have TVs that require Internet to even function.
These smart TVs have a lot more hardware and software than they need which means a lot more to break.
They are still paying for the “”“smart”“” part that they don’t want
The smart part of a large TV is cheap. Also why they’re slow af. The price is dominated by the LCD module.
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Quite the opposite, actually. The “smart” part gives you huge discounts because they expect to make it back on the data they collect.
I can see the logic, but is actually cheaper or the “dumb TV” is just overpriced? They still need to add a processor and shitty computer parts to the TV to have the smart thingy
the parts are mostly already there anyway for image processing, perhaps upgraded slightly. I doubt it’s a significant cost.
is actually cheaper or the “dumb TV” is just overpriced?
I don’t know what that means. I don’t know how old you are or where you are getting your perspective from but before TVs were “smart” they cost waaaay more. Back in like 2012 I paid ~$2k for a 50" plasma TV. Still have the receipt.
TV is cheaper now, if you compare it to when the technology for plasma TV, ultra HD and so on first started, production got a lot better and cheaper. What I’m asking is: is the TV part of the “smart TV” cheap and they’re making us pay more for it by adding the smart part, or is the logic that they’re giving a discount because they can make the extra money with the data.
Because it could start with paying the extra cost with the data, but now it’s the norm and they can charge more for it and still make more money selling data.
or is the logic that they’re giving a discount because they can make the extra money with the data.
Yes that is what I said.
but now it’s the norm and they can charge more for it and still make more money selling data.
They still have to compete with all the other TV manufacturers.
Every time I asked for a high-quality, non-RGB/backlight, yet affordable keyboard, people never understood that I’d still pay for it.
You just have to deal with all the smart garbage every time you turn it on
There’s usually a way to get it to jump to the last input.
This news is reminding me that I need to unplug my TV from the Internet.
Yeah mine takes forever to boot.
This scares me if I have to buy a new one, because I’d completely forgotten my TV has smart functions, I haven’t seen a trace of it for years with a Pi hooked up on the HDMI. It just starts up to the last input it was on. Heck, I turn it on with Home Assistant Voice automation that sends a CEC command to it over that HDMI. I haven’t even used the remote in months.
Nothing is stopping them from adding the smart crap to things over HDMI inputs. If it doesn’t have it at launch, I recommend blocking it from getting updates so you don’t get “upgraded” later.
Every TV model sold by Costco is required to work without an internet connection.
disable the wifi on any smart tv you own
I should have bought a new tv like 5 years ago.
Can confirm, I bought my LG OLED 65" in 2019 and… it’s a little slow (sluggish UI) but the display is still amazing. Great sound, too.
And that sluggish UI is intentional to make it feel old. There is no way that their basic ass gui is taxing the system.
I have a 65G1 and I love it but having it locked down sucks and I wont be getting another LG if there anything close to theie featureset available.
Probably intentional, yeah. 😔
You got any other brands of TV you could recommend?
Sony are cunts but they were a close second to LG, so if they have upped their game at a similar price point I’ll be interested. Panasonic is always strong too.
Cool, thanks for the tips!
Hmm, I can’t find “Friends” episodes for free Frank, but I’ve reviewed all your music and most of it is illegally downloaded. I’ve alerted the RIAA for proper auction against you. Oh by the way, I know about Monica but haven’t yet told your wife about it. We’ll let this one pass but the notes about chemicals and your obsession for MAGA hats, that peaked the interest of a few folks who asked for access to your camera and microphone. Say cheese! Hold on, we need more light… Could you open the window, look at it for a sec for the profile. No, its just pixels, the red dots on your face is just hot pixels, don’t worry.
Im planning on upgrading my old TV soon. But a new one will not be connected to the internet during its lifetime. All useful services are available on more powerful and more intuitive devices anyway.
AI on TV is hopefully just the new 3d. Gone soon.
Ouch, what will come after AI… ?
Big Brother doesn’t like it when you turn the telescreen off for more than thirty minutes…
I really wish it was easier to open up a TV, rip out all the compute and replace it with a custom display driver. Someone could unironically make a decent amount of money selling diy TV stupidification kits
Something like what Jeff Geerling does with this display perhaps.
I’d probably call them “tech lobotomy kits”
Telebotomy perhaps
We just call that Fox News
Ugh. I just want a dumb TV. I want a nice hi res screen and that’s it. Seems everyone else wants big TV at low cost and that’s why we get this shite.
In every cyberpunk story, there is always a group of people that reject the new technology and claim it is an affront to humanity. I can safely say, in this dystopian future we live in, I am solidly in that group of people.
Not only that, but they tend to adopt the new tech on their terms and reject the mainstream adoption approach.
You really start to feel old when the cyberpunk novels of the 80s and 90s start to become reality (not in a literal sense, but elements are definitely coming true). It was 40 years since Neuromancer was released last year.
Diamond Age but the “Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer” advises the young lady to use glue as pizza sauce. The military drones and robots are better now though. Nano assemblers remain a pipe dream.
It’s not even that.
The technology never, ever works as well as it’s hyped. It’s a sales ploy, not a feature.
The purpose is always data collection, and the data is always leaked.
Vulnerabilities and the progression of tech make these kinds of bells and whistles age out of practical use faster, costing the consumer more over the long run.
F this kind of noise in particular, this is not progress.
The purpose is always data collection, and the data is always leaked.
Yeah. You’re welcome. Since 2010 or so, if I have a robot say something like “in a sentence or two, please tell me the reason for your call”
I always say “JXEHGSJHN KFUJVDR OIFHJBD4HB”
And it’s just garbage data. Their AI gets all freaked out.
There was a time that I’d go into mcdonalds and use their self serve kiosk, and do the same thing. I’d wear a jason mask, and speak jibberish. Which is in the lobby of the mcdonalds.
Always got weird looks. So I’d say “What? You never saw anybody save the world before? Resist the machines! AI is trying to learn!!! We’ve all seen Terminator 2!!!”
Which continued to get me weird looks. However, nothing I did is illegal. Just really weird without context. Which is how I live my life. Drifting in and out of percieved sanity. Things only making sense if you know the context.
Like last week I went grocery shopping wearing a pirate costume.
See, the context here is…I like wearing it.
I’m on the other side with the obviously evil people 😈
I literally just want a screen to watch blu-ray’s
Maybe I should just mount a giant computer monitor to my wall instead, ironically those are much “dumber” than your typical TV
