Apple tightens Full Disk Access as AI agents raise risk

The dispute between Meta and Jason Aten over whether the Muse app had permission to read his private messages is the backdrop for Apple's announcement. Apple's statement also follows a Wired report that cited a flaw in ChatGPT's Mac app that could have allowed hackers to access sensitive data. Those two episodes put a spotlight on how desktop AI agents obtain access to personal content.

Apple's blog post aimed at developers frames the issue as one of user awareness. The company said some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems without users' full knowledge and understanding. Apple's response is to require what it calls very explicit user action before granting that access.

Apple did not respond to TechCrunch's inquiry about the feature change, so it remains to be seen how the new controls will be enforced and when they will reach users. For developers of desktop AI apps, the test is whether requiring explicit user action will change how their apps function or how users perceive them. For Mac users, the stakes hinge on whether the new controls make the permission harder to grant by accident.