Federal Judge Donovan Frank denied xAI’s request to pause Minnesota’s law targeting AI nudification apps. The law covers access to services that generate nude images of real people and advertising for those services. State enforcement continues while the company pursues its constitutional free-speech challenge. Its lawyers filed notice seeking review by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Federal Judge Donovan Frank denied xAI’s request for a preliminary injunction against Minnesota’s AI nudification law on 4 September. The decision allows the state to enforce the law while the lawsuit proceeds. The statute has been in force since 1 August. Frank had also refused a temporary restraining order on 31 July. The company’s constitutional challenge based on free-speech protections continues; this ruling did not decide the underlying lawsuit.[1], [2]
The Minnesota statute bars access to websites and apps that generate nude images of real people and also covers advertising for those products. FOX 9 reports that it allows claims for at least 500,000 dollars in damages for each unlawful access. xAI argues that the measure is a content-based, overly broad restriction on speech. The company says its own rules already prohibit generating nude or sexualised images of people without their consent.[1]
The company’s lawyers filed notice seeking review by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. MPR News reports that Frank said xAI waited too long to bring its lawsuit, filing just before the law took effect. In earlier arguments to the court, the company said it would suspend features for Minnesota users citing concerns about fines. The state’s motion to dismiss the company’s lawsuit has not yet been decided.[2]
