UAE residents urged to verify AI services before granting camera or location access.
Abu Dhabi: The UAE Cyber Security Council has urged people to exercise caution before allowing artificial intelligence tools to access their cameras, location data and other device features, warning that some services could collect personal information without users being aware.
The Council said the biggest privacy risk associated with an AI tool may not necessarily be the information users enter, but the data and device functions they allow the tool to access. For instance, granting camera access could expose a user’s face and details about their surroundings.
The Council also warned that AI tools appearing in online search results should not automatically be assumed to be safe or trustworthy. Some services may be designed to collect personal information without clearly informing users of their intentions.
Residents were advised to verify the reliability of an AI service before using it and carefully review each permission request instead of automatically allowing access to cameras, location data or other device functions. The Council recommended using AI services from trusted and verified sources and granting only the permissions necessary for the tool to function.
The warning comes as AI-powered apps and online services increasingly request access to information and device features traditionally used by mobile applications, including cameras, microphones, location data and stored files.
The Council has repeatedly advised users to deny unnecessary permissions and regularly review which apps and services have access to sensitive functions on their devices.
