Well. I have a 2.4 L also. And I have a clod air intake. And I really do find a difference in acceleration with it. Because it is a car engine with DOHC and not the typical jeep single internal cam engine I feel it does respond a bit better to bolt ins such as headers , cat backs and CAIs. Just my opinion but I'm sure I'll be told in wrong by all the 4.0 guys who have never driven the 2.4l with or with out mods!
All those things can add up--depending on the engine--so you probably do have more power, but I think what they mean is a lot more power....like more than a few...several percent. Some guys expect 25-30% more power or torque with just a CAI and exhaust, and are likely disappointed.
I was trying to get some more out of a 2.7L auto Tacoma and messed with the intake and one of those $60 bolt-on chips that everybody says they can "feel" more power from, but I did something that none of those guys ever did...actually made a series of timed acceleration runs on the same road before and after--noting ambient temperature, tire pressure and everything else the same--and got nada improvement. Just an example. I know the engine and control system is probably a lot different that a 2.4 Jeep. But zero improvement, actually measured, kept me from blowing even more money on that project.