LG makes some of the best OLED TVs, but many of its older sets are about to lose an important feature: Google Assistant.
First reported by 9to5Google, LG smart TVs are dropping Google's handy voice assistant starting May 1, 2025. It's a blow to users who rely on Google Assistant for its varied smart home services, as well as basic features, like turning the TV off when the remote isn't in arm's reach.
Microsoft's Copilot will be taking over on LG's 2025 TVs, but it still leaves buyers of older LG TVs in a rut. Not only are you losing out on a key feature you paid for, but it leaves open the door for LG to pull even more features in the future.
To make sense of why LG is making this move, let's start by taking a look at what will be replacing Google Assistant on LG TVs: Microsoft Copilot.
Is Copilot better than Google Assistant?
When it comes to performance for AI capabilities, Microsoft Copilot is the obvious winner here — there's just no competition. This is because Copilot is not only brand new, but built on OpenAI's ChatGPT-4 algorithm, too.
This makes it more powerful than some of its rivals, notably Google Assistant, which is currently showing its age.
Google Assistant first launched in 2016 and runs on natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning code, which means it lacks the more granular capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) like Copilot.
Thus, Google Assistant is largely relegated to simpler tasks — mainly voice controls — such as finding shows, navigating the TV interface and controlling other smart home devices.
Microsoft Copilot, on the other hand, can do a whole lot more. One of the new Microsoft Copilot features that impressed me most is "Deep Research," something that Tom's Guide U.S. Editor-in-Chief Mike Prospero describes as "your personal Wikipedia of sorts."
This is one of the main reasons why Google Assistant is losing features to make way for Gemini, and helps explain why LG would be dropping the feature altogether.
LG clarified that voice-assisted controls will still be functional in the form of LG's voice assistant service, so the button on your Magic Remote won't be entirely useless. That said, folks who rely on Google Assistant might need to pivot.
What can I do if I'm losing Google Assistant on my LG TV?
Many LG TV owners are upset about the loss of Google Assistant, with several flocking to Reddit to complain about the change.
But for users who use Google Assistant for its smart home functionality, you're essentially left to your own devices.
"I considered Google Assistant to be the top feature on my LG OLED TV."
u/slumper, Reddit
Fortunately, this is where some of the best streaming devices come into play. If you're worried about losing Google Assistant, I'd recommend the Google TV Streamer.
It might be a bit costly at around $99, but Gemini AI on Google TV is a worthwhile replacement for Google Assistant, offering many of the same features with better implementation. Not only is it a huge step up from Google Assistant, it even offers similar functionalities offered by Microsoft Copilot.
The sun sets on Google Assistant
With Google Assistant being dropped from LG smart TVs, many are left wondering what features LG could axe next.
On one hand, LG is keeping several older sets up-to-date with a five year upgrade path called the LG ReNew program. This will keep webOS feeling fresh on TVs dating back to 2021.
On the other hand, newer AI assistants (like Gemini and Copilot) won't be retroactively added to older LG TV models, as those sets lack the necessary hardware to take advantage of them.
It's an unfortunate set of circumstances, but it goes to show that ongoing support for software-based features like Google Assistant are ultimately in the hands of brands — not users.
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