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Minnesota Enacts First-in-Nation Law Banning AI Nudification Technology Amid Legal Challenge from xAI

Minnesota has enacted the first law in the nation to ban "nudification" technology, which allows artificial intelligence to create non-consensual sexualized images of real people. The law, which takes effect on August 1, 2026, penalizes app and website owners for allowing users to generate these images, levying fines of up to $500,000 per violation. The statute was spearheaded by State Senator Erin Maye Quade and signed by Governor Tim Walz. Elon Musk's company, xAI, filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison, challenging the law's breadth. xAI argues that the statute is overbroad and violates First Amendment protections, potentially subjecting the company to massive financial penalties for images that were already consented to or created by the users themselves. However, U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank denied xAI's request for a temporary restraining order, ruling that the delay in filing the motion suggested that harm was not immediate. The law remains in effect while the legal challenge proceeds.

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