Overview

• Apple's 'Crush!' ad for the new iPad Pro, showing items like musical instruments being crushed, was meant to symbolize the compression of creative potential into a digital device.
• Critics, including British actor Hugh Grant, lambasted the ad for its negative imagery, equating it to a loss of human creativity due to technological overreach.
• Following intense social media backlash and over a million YouTube views, Apple issued an apology, stating the ad failed to appropriately celebrate creative expression.
• The controversy highlights broader societal fears about AI and technology's role in diminishing human artistry and creativity.
• Apple confirmed it will not broadcast the controversial ad on television but will maintain its presence on digital platforms.