Apple is facing a class action lawsuit over what plaintiffs describe as false and misleading advertising tied to its upcoming AI features, collectively branded as “Apple Intelligence.” Filed in federal court last week, the lawsuit alleges that Apple deceived customers into purchasing premium devices under the impression that advanced AI capabilities would be available at launch — when in fact, they weren’t.
Marketing the Hype, Missing the Delivery
At the center of the complaint is Apple’s aggressive 2024 marketing campaign, which promoted significant upgrades to Siri and other AI-driven tools as part of the iPhone’s next evolution. The lawsuit argues that these ads, which ran across television, digital platforms, and social media, gave consumers a clear and reasonable expectation that the new AI features would be ready at release.
Instead, the suit claims, Apple’s devices shipped with either limited or non-existent versions of those capabilities. This discrepancy, the plaintiffs argue, amounts to false advertising, as Apple positioned these AI upgrades as a central reason to upgrade — and pay a premium.
The lawsuit lands at an awkward time for Apple. The company has delayed the rollout of its enhanced Siri and Apple Intelligence features until at least 2026, a full two years after they were initially teased. Meanwhile, competitors like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have continued to roll out increasingly capable AI systems.
The lawsuit points out that Apple has even begun quietly pulling ads that previously highlighted the AI capabilities of Siri, including removing one campaign from YouTube. However, according to the plaintiffs, Apple has not made any effort to publicly correct or retract other “false representations” still circulating online and in retail marketing.
Internally, Apple’s AI delays have reportedly led to executive restructuring. John Giannandrea, the former Google search executive brought in to oversee Siri and AI, has been reassigned. His responsibilities have now shifted to Mike Rockwell, the executive who led development of the Vision Pro headset.
Former Siri co-designer Luc Julia recently suggested that Apple’s slow AI rollout may be due to the company’s “fear of not being perfect,” an internal culture that favors delayed polish over faster iteration — a strategy that might not align with the breakneck pace of the AI industry.
For Apple, long known for tightly integrated hardware and software that “just works,” the stakes are higher. Delayed features are one thing. But if a court decides those delays amount to deceptive business practices, it could mark a rare and very public misstep for a company that has built its brand on trust.