Apple’s traditionally bold marketing approach appears to have outpaced its current capabilities, leading to recent adjustments in how it promotes its AI features. The company was asked by the National Advertising Division (NAD) to stop labeling certain Apple Intelligence features as “available now,” prompting changes to its marketing materials. As a result, the reference was removed from the Apple Intelligence page in late March.
The NAD, part of the nonprofit BBB National Programs, monitors the accuracy of national advertising in the U.S. It recommended that Apple “discontinue or modify” the “available now” language because many of the features in question are still unavailable. The footnote intended to clarify this was reportedly “not clear, prominent, or close to the main claim,” which could mislead users about the actual availability of these tools.
Features Still in Development
Late last year, Apple introduced some of its Apple Intelligence features, such as new text editing tools and a photo-cleanup function for removing unwanted objects. Additional AI capabilities have been gradually added with software updates since then. However, the rollout is still ongoing, and not all features are fully accessible.
One such unreleased update includes a more advanced version of the Siri voice assistant, which was promoted as part of the AI enhancements. According to NAD, this too was misleading as the updated Siri has yet to launch. Apple also pulled a promotional video titled “A More Personal Siri,” in which an actress used the assistant to recall the name of someone she met previously—a feature not currently available, notes NIXsolutions.
Responding to the NAD’s findings, an Apple spokesperson stated, “While we disagree with NAD’s conclusions regarding the features that are available to users today, we appreciate the opportunity to engage with them and will follow their recommendations.” The company’s willingness to cooperate with NAD suggests a move toward more cautious messaging. Yet we’ll keep you updated as more integrations become available and Apple continues to expand the reach of its AI tools.
Perhaps current leadership might find value in revisiting the “Apple Marketing Philosophy,” a foundational document released under Steve Jobs, to ensure their strategies remain aligned with user expectations.