Minnesota AI nudity ban upheld after xAI legal challenge

A federal judge in Minnesota has rejected a request from Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, to suspend a state law that prohibits the use of artificial intelligence to create non-consensual nude images of identifiable people. U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank denied the preliminary injunction, stating that xAI failed to demonstrate irreparable harm and that the “public interest tips steeply in favor of the State.”

The law, known as HF 1606, is the first of its kind in the United States. It targets service providers and software developers rather than individual users, imposing fines of up to $500,000 per violation for allowing tools that can digitally “undress” real people. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison defended the legislation, noting it received bipartisan support and aims to combat sexual harassment and child abuse.

While the injunction was denied, the legal battle is not over. xAI continues to challenge the law’s constitutionality, arguing it violates First Amendment free speech protections. Judge Frank noted that the constitutional implications of this new technology are complex and will require a full analysis during the ongoing litigation.