Apple apologises after anti-AI backlash over iPad crush video ahead of WWDC 2024 generative AI launch

The backlash against generative AI from artists has been growing in recent months, and as Apple's June 2024 WWDC — where it seemingly plans to announce its own generative AI features — draws near, tensions were bound to get high sooner or later. It appears as though Apple's iPad launch earlier this week provided just the catalyst for things to boil over.

As part of the launch of the new M4 iPads, Apple published a promotional video (which you can view below), titled Crush, showing a collection of traditional art supplies and creative tools being crushed by an industrial-sized crusher. When the press is lifted again, all that remains of the countless traditional art and music media and tools is Apple's new, impressively thin, iPad Pro, with the implication seemingly being that the iPad can serve creatives as a tool for everything from music creation to digital art, and even video editing.

In light of the recent movement in the tech industry towards replacing artists with generative AI, Apple's ad was, somewhat understandably, poorly received by the very same artistic community Apple is targetting with the iPad Pro. In a statement to AdAge, Apple's VP of marketing apologised for the ad, stating:

"Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world. Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry."

Apple has also pulled Crush from airing on TV. The apology comes shortly before Apple's June WWDC 2024, where leaks have revealed Apple plans to unveil its own suite of generative AI tools for iPadOS, iOS, and macOS. Apple may need to tread carefully if it does intend to introduce generative AI for its creative software.