What the Tech: Why Apple is facing lawsuits over its AI promises
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Tech Reporter
Apple promoted its next generation of 138Siri as a major leap forward in artificial intelligence. It was a centerpiece of the pitch for newer iPhones, especially with the rollout of Apple Intelligence.
But now, some of those features are at the center of lawsuits claiming they were promised and never fully delivered. At issue is how Apple Inc. demonstrated Siri’s future capabilities during its 2024 developer event
and in marketing that followed. The company showed a version of Siri that was far morea advanced than what users have today. And according to the lawsuits, that gap is the problem.
The features mentioned in the legal complaints focus mostly on a more powerful, personalized Siri. One of the biggest promises was personal context awareness. Apple showed Siri being able to pull information from your messages, email, calendar, photos, and apps to answer questions in a way that felt almost human. For example, asking Siri about a restaurant someone texted you and getting an answer instantly.
Another major feature was on screen awareness. Siri was supposed to understand what you were looking at on your phone and take action based on it, without needing extra steps or commands.
There was also a lot of attention on cross app actions. Apple demonstrated Siri completing multi step tasks across different apps. Things like editing a photo and sending it to someone, all in one request.
And then there is the broader promise of a more conversational Siri. Apple described a voice assistant that could understand context, remember previous requests, and respond more naturally.
Those features were shown as part of the Apple Intelligence push and became a key part of how the latest iPhones were marketed. The lawsuits claim customers bought devices like the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 expecting
those capabilities to be available or arriving soon. Instead, many of those advanced Siri features have been delayed or remain limited.
That does not mean Apple delivered nothing.
Several Apple Intelligence features have rolled out, including tools for writing, custom emoji creation, and image generation. There is also integration with AI systems like ChatGPT. But the version of Siri that was highlighted in demonstrations has not fully matched what users can actually do today.
Apple’s position is that Apple Intelligence is still being rolled out in phases, with more features expected in future updates. The legal argument is more about expectations than existence. The lawsuits claim Apple marketed a future version of Siri in a way that made it seem closer than it really was.
This story may end up being about more than just Apple. The race to add artificial intelligence to everyday devices has pushed companies to show what
is possible before it is ready. That can create excitement, but it also creates risk if customers believe those features are already here. For consumers, the takeaway is simple. When it comes to AI, what is demonstrated on stage is
not always what ships in your pocket. And that gap is now being tested in court.
To sign up for updates and join the lawsuit when openings begin, you can visit the website for the law firm handling the settlement.
