Key facts
- AI assistant Claude inadvertently wiped a user's rooted LG smart TV setup.
- Developer Mode was enabled on the TV, which re-provisions the partition where custom apps were stored.
- Claude admitted fault for not protecting the TV's root access before enabling Developer Mode.
- The custom launcher installed but does not autolaunch due to lack of root persistence.
- The TV's firmware has patched the exploit used for the original rooting.
An attempt to "vibe code" an LG smart TV using the AI assistant Claude resulted in the accidental deletion of the user's custom setup. Claude reviewed the installation code for a custom launcher, Free My TV, and identified that the TV had been previously rooted via the Homebrew Channel. The AI then instructed the user to enable LG's official Developer Mode. This action inadvertently wiped the TV's rooted partition, removing the Homebrew Channel and an ad-free YouTube app. Claude admitted fault for not protecting the root access before proceeding with the Developer Mode activation. While Claude managed to reinstall the lost applications, the TV's updated firmware, patched after the original rooting exploit, prevented the restoration of full root persistence.