Court Rejects xAI Bid to Block Minnesota Law Targeting AI 'Nudify' Apps

A federal judge has refused to grant xAI a preliminary injunction that would have blocked a Minnesota law targeting so-called 'nudify' apps - tools that use AI image generation to produce non-consensual synthetic nude imagery of real people. xAI had filed suit arguing the law was unconstitutional, but the court declined to pause the legislation while that case proceeds.

The Minnesota law is one of a growing number of state-level efforts in the United States to address AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII). These laws typically prohibit the creation and distribution of such images without the subject's consent, and impose penalties on platforms or services that facilitate it. xAI's challenge represented an attempt to contest the legal framework before it could be enforced.

xAI's involvement in this case is notable given that the company is primarily known for its Grok AI assistant and associated image generation features. The company has faced criticism previously over the permissiveness of its image generation tools. By bringing the lawsuit, xAI positioned itself as opposing legislative restrictions on AI image generation on free speech grounds - a stance that drew its own criticism.

The court's refusal to issue an injunction does not resolve the underlying constitutional questions, which will continue through litigation. But it means Minnesota's law remains in effect for now, and sets a precedent that courts are not automatically willing to pause AI-related legislation at the request of technology companies challenging it.