One user of my app Remote Buddy has also reported an issue where AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget does never return - despite being called with askUserIfNeeded set to false:
status = AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget(self.targetAppEventDescriptor.aeDesc, typeWildCard, typeWildCard, false);
The sample taken with Activity Monitor eventually shows the call is hanging in a semaphore:
OS Version:			Mac OS X 10.15.7 (19H2)
…
		2760 Thread_6411257	 DispatchQueue_10: com.apple.root.default-qos	(concurrent)
			2760 start_wqthread	(in libsystem_pthread.dylib) + 15	[0x7fff6daecb77]
				2760 _pthread_wqthread	(in libsystem_pthread.dylib) + 220	[0x7fff6daed9f7]
					2760 _dispatch_worker_thread2	(in libdispatch.dylib) + 92	[0x7fff6d8a2097]
						2760 _dispatch_root_queue_drain	(in libdispatch.dylib) + 326	[0x7fff6d8a1957]
							2760 _dispatch_queue_override_invoke	(in libdispatch.dylib) + 763	[0x7fff6d8954b0]
								2760 _dispatch_client_callout	(in libdispatch.dylib) + 8	[0x7fff6d893658]
									2760 _dispatch_call_block_and_release	(in libdispatch.dylib) + 12	[0x7fff6d8926c4]
										2760 __89-[ISPermissionAppleEvents _asyncDeterminePermissionAskingUserIfNeeded:completionHandler:]_block_invoke	(in ISPermissionKit) + 96	[0x1050d9e6f]
											2760 AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget	(in AE) + 1313	[0x7fff34dc7f2c]
												2760 _dispatch_semaphore_wait_slow	(in libdispatch.dylib) + 98	[0x7fff6d893fbf]
													2760 _dispatch_sema4_wait	(in libdispatch.dylib) + 16	[0x7fff6d893aed]
														2760 semaphore_wait_trap	(in libsystem_kernel.dylib) + 10	[0x7fff6da2de36]
And I have found more reports of the same issue: answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/1630-hangs/ef520fd6-7df0-405c-ab3b-2dde2e7db25c (including a sample as well, ending just like the one above)
stackoverflow.com/questions/59125192/authorization-by-aedeterminepermissiontoautomatetarget-waits-infinit-time#comment114813708_59125192 (see the comments, which were posted only recently)
That to me suggests that issue is more widespread.
I have also filed a radar/feedback on this issue: FB8919870.
felixs
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I'm having the same issue - with a refurbished MacBook Pro 16". Also waiting for Apple to remotely remove the activation lock after submitting proof of purchase.
Are your 16" MBPs all refurbished units, too?