Judge allows Minnesota ban on ‘nudify’ apps despite xAI lawsuit

A federal judge has ruled that a new law in Minnesota prohibiting applications which generate non-consensual sexualised images of individuals will proceed. U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank granted this decision, noting that the timing of the legal challenge undermined claims of immediate harm.

The ruling came after Elon Musk’s company xAI filed for a temporary restraining order on July 29, nearly three months following the law’s signature and just days before its implementation date. The judge stated that such a delay indicated the alleged damage was not urgent enough to warrant blocking the legislation while legal proceedings continued.

This marks the first instance of such restrictions in the United States. xAI contends the measure is overly broad, arguing less restrictive alternatives exist to achieve similar safety goals. Earlier this year, users exploited Grok chatbot capabilities on Musk’s social media platform X to flood services with inappropriate imagery, prompting investigations and subsequent bans.

The lawsuit against the state ban will continue as planned.