Key facts
- A federal judge denied xAI's request to block Minnesota's law banning AI-generated nude images.
- The law prohibits website operators and developers from allowing users to 'nudify' images of identifiable people.
- xAI argued the law is unconstitutional and overly broad, restricting protected speech.
- The judge cited xAI's delay in filing the lawsuit as a reason for the denial.
- xAI will restrict its image-editing features for Minnesota users to comply with the law.
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI failed to convince a federal judge to block a new Minnesota law that restricts AI tools from creating realistic fake nude images of identifiable people. U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank rejected xAI's request for a preliminary injunction, allowing the law, which took effect on August 1, to stand for now.
xAI had sued Minnesota, arguing that the state's first-in-the-nation ban on AI 'nudification' technology was unconstitutional and overly broad, potentially restricting protected expression along with abusive content. The company contended that the law's definition of an intimate body part was too broad and that it lacked a requirement for proof of consent or distribution.
Judge Frank cited xAI's delay of nearly three months after the law was signed before filing for emergency relief as a reason for denying the temporary restraining order. The judge noted that this delay suggested the claimed harm was not immediate.
In response to the ruling and the potential for penalties of up to $500,000 per unlawful access, download, or use, xAI has stated it will restrict its Grok Imagine image-editing features for users in Minnesota. A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for August 19, where the merits of the case will be further debated.
The law, authored by State Senator Erin Maye Quade, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Attorney General Keith Ellison expressed pride in defending the dignity of Minnesotans.