Apple announced on its developer news website that it will introduce "additional controls" for the "Full Disk Access" setting on macOS due to risks posed by AI agents. The announcement comes amid the rise of always-on AI agents like Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots, which have raised privacy concerns.
"Some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems—including files, mail, messages, and even browsing history—without users' full knowledge and understanding," Apple said. "As AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially."
Apple's full announcement explains that Full Disk Access sidesteps standard controls to allow backup apps to function, but some developers misuse it, compromising user privacy and even the privacy of communication partners. Going forward, Apple will require very explicit user action to grant such access, ensuring users understand the risks before making informed decisions.
Apple did not specify a timeline for implementing the new controls. The announcement was first reported by MacRumors, with related discussions in the macOS Golden Gate forums.
Source: MacRumors · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing