Apple to strengthen Mac privacy controls, warns of rising risks from AI agents

Apple said it plans to introduce new privacy controls for Mac users and warned of rising risks from granting broad data access to third-party software, including AI agents. The iPhone maker said in a statement on Friday that it will roll out additional controls to ensure that users who want to grant an app "full disk access" which allows complete access to system files, mail, messages and browsing history can only do so through "a very explicit user action." "We are committed to ensuring users can make informed decisions about their data and privacy by clearly understanding these risks before granting this kind of access," Apple said. Apple did not name specific programs or developers in the statement, but said that as "the capabilities and autonomy of AI agents continue to increase," "the risks associated with this level of access will rise substantially."