Apple’s rollout of its much-anticipated Apple Intelligence features has spiraled into controversy, culminating in a class-action lawsuit that accuses the tech giant of misleading millions of customers. The saga began with an exciting debut at WWDC 2024, where Apple showcased a slew of AI-powered upgrades designed to revolutionize user experience across its devices — particularly the iPhone 16 series. The centerpiece was a dramatically improved, more conversational version of Siri, promising intuitive responses, seamless integration with apps, and smarter functionality. These advancements were supposed to arrive with iOS 18.4. However, Apple missed that deadline, pushing the release to an unspecified date while continuing to run advertisements touting the unreleased features.
Frustrated consumers are now taking legal action. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in the US District Court in San Jose, seeks class-action status and demands compensation for customers who bought iPhones and other Apple devices under the assumption they’d receive Apple Intelligence from day one. Plaintiffs argue that Apple’s marketing deliberately created false expectations, leading many to upgrade their devices prematurely — only to be left with a product that didn’t deliver what was promised. The lawsuit claims Apple "intentionally misrepresented" the functionality of Siri and other AI capabilities, creating an illusion of innovation while knowing the features were nowhere near ready.
"Apple’s advertisements cultivated a clear and reasonable consumer expectation that these transformative features would be available upon the iPhone’s release," the complaint states. "Contrary to defendant’s claims of advanced AI capabilities, the products offered a significantly limited or entirely absent version of Apple Intelligence, misleading consumers about its actual utility and performance."
The legal battle comes amid reports of growing turmoil within Apple’s AI division. Bloomberg revealed that CEO Tim Cook has lost confidence in Apple’s AI chief, John Giannandrea, who was hired from Google to spearhead the company’s AI advancements. Cook is reportedly dissatisfied with the slow progress on Apple Intelligence, particularly the Siri overhaul. In response, Cook appointed Mike Rockwell — the mastermind behind Apple Vision Pro — to lead the Siri team, signaling a major internal shakeup.
Rockwell’s team faces a daunting task. Siri has long struggled to keep pace with rivals like Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and more recently, OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Apple’s belated embrace of generative AI has forced it to integrate third-party solutions — an uncharacteristic move for a company known for tightly controlling its ecosystem.
What’s worse, insiders say the wait for the "next-gen Siri" may stretch even further. Employees familiar with Apple’s AI roadmap believe the enhanced, ChatGPT-style Siri might not debut until iOS 20 — likely pushing the release to 2027 or beyond. This represents a staggering delay for a feature that was marketed as a near-term game-changer.
For consumers, especially those who upgraded expecting these features, the delay feels like a breach of trust. Apple’s decision to continue running advertisements for months despite knowing the features weren’t ready has fueled outrage. The lawsuit could force Apple to reckon with its marketing strategies and may set a precedent for how tech companies promote unreleased innovations.
The stakes are high. Apple Intelligence isn’t just another software update — it’s part of the company’s broader strategy to reinvent Siri, push deeper into AI, and stay competitive in an era increasingly defined by smart assistants and machine learning. If Apple fails to deliver a truly next-generation Siri, it risks falling behind competitors who are already advancing at lightning speed.
Meanwhile, Apple’s rivals aren’t waiting around. Google continues to refine its AI-driven Assistant, Microsoft has integrated ChatGPT into its ecosystem, and Amazon is rumored to be developing a more conversational Alexa. The race for AI dominance is accelerating, and Apple’s reputation for innovation is on the line.
The lawsuit — and the internal shakeups it triggered — could be a turning point for Apple. Whether the company can recover from this misstep and deliver the AI experience it promised remains uncertain. What’s clear is that consumers are growing increasingly impatient — and this time, they’re not staying quiet.
