Apple Tightens Full-Disk Access Permissions to Limit AI Agent Abuse

Apple has changed how full-disk access permissions work on its platforms in an effort to curb potential abuse by AI agents, according to a report on the update.

The change follows concerns raised by Meta, which reportedly argued that Apple's existing full-disk access framework was not sufficient to prevent its Muse assistant from reading users' messages. Apple's response, according to the report, disputes that characterization, suggesting the company sees its adjusted permissions model as addressing the underlying concern differently than Meta proposed.

Full-disk access on Apple's operating systems is a permission tier that grants an application broad visibility into a device's file system and data, including areas otherwise restricted from ordinary app access. As AI agents and assistants increasingly request deep system access to perform tasks on a user's behalf, technology companies have faced growing scrutiny over how such permissions are granted, monitored, and limited.

The report did not specify the exact technical changes Apple has made to the permission system, nor a timeline for when the update takes effect across its devices. It also did not detail whether the change specifically restricts how third-party AI agents, including Meta's Muse, can request or use full-disk access going forward.

Neither Apple nor Meta was reported to have issued an extended public statement elaborating on the dispute beyond the characterizations described in the report.