xAI Challenges Minnesota's Nudify-App Ban as a First Amendment Violation
Elon Musk’s xAI has filed a lawsuit against Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, challenging House File 1606—a law set to take effect on August 1—which restricts the use of nudification tools. The company argues that the law imposes an overbroad content-based ban and infringes upon free speech by limiting visual expression through AI-generated images and videos. The statute prohibits platforms from allowing users to alter identifiable people in photos or videos so they appear nude, with penalties including up to $500,000 per violation. xAI warns that these fines could accumulate rapidly, potentially reaching billions of dollars for large-scale violations. The company also claims the law lacks intent requirements and fails to provide safe harbors for platforms using safeguards. This legal challenge comes amid a broader controversy over AI-generated content regulation. Minnesota lawmakers designed the bill to prevent deepfake abuse, but xAI maintains that its Grok platform already enforces strict policies against nonconsensual nudity.