Snapshot of Apple Intelligence page on Apple’s site earlier this year stating it was ‘Available now’. | Image credit — Wayback Machine
In reality, those tools were released gradually in software updates between October 2024 and March 2025. NAD found that Apple didn’t make that clear enough. Footnotes and small print disclaimers weren’t considered obvious or close enough to the main claims to balance them out, and while some of these features may be available now, the NAD still says Apple should have done a better job of explaining when users could actually expect to use them.
Siri’s upgraded capabilities were also in the spotlight. Apple had promoted new features like on-screen awareness, personal context, and cross-app functionality as part of the same Apple Intelligence rollout. These were also listed under the “Available Now” banner, but Apple admitted during the review that some of them weren’t ready on time. The company updated its materials to reflect the delay and even pulled an entire video showcasing the so-called “More Personal Siri” experience. That move effectively canceled the promotion before NAD could formally weigh in.
That said, the NAD doesn’t have legal authority, but its role in keeping companies honest with their advertising often pushes brands to comply. In this case, Apple said it disagrees with the findings but will go along with the recommendations.
While we disagree with the NAD’s findings related to features that are available to users now, we appreciate the opportunity to work with them and will follow their recommendations.
— Statement by Apple Inc included in NAD’s press release, April 22, 2025
This all comes at a time when AI marketing is heating up and most tech companies are racing to show who can deliver the most powerful features the fastest. The problem is, moving too quickly can lead to missteps like this. While competition is a healthy way to make sure there is constant innovation, advertising these feature when they are actually ready is also extremely important to ensure the consumer’s trust. This is a valuable lesson that Apple has learned and hopefully work to remedy.
