Minnesota Proposes Ban on AI Apps Creating Fake Nude Images

In an effort to combat the rising misuse of artificial intelligence, Minnesota lawmakers have enacted a new bill targeting platforms that facilitate this abuse.

On Thursday, the Minnesota Senate unanimously approved House File 1606, which now awaits the signature of Governor Tim Walz. This legislation prohibits any website or app from offering tools that generate realistic fake nude images of identifiable individuals.

According to the bill, companies managing websites, apps, or software services are not allowed to permit users to create or utilize these images, nor can they advertise or promote such services.

Victims have the right to file lawsuits against individuals or entities operating these “nudification” tools. Those shown in AI-generated nude images can seek damages for mental anguish, with courts authorized to award up to three times the original damages, in addition to punitive damages, attorney fees, and injunctions to cease the behavior.

The legislation empowers the state’s attorney general to enforce compliance, imposing civil fines of up to $500,000 per violation. These monetary sanctions will be allocated to Minnesota’s general fund, supporting victim services, which include aid for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.

This law specifically addresses tools that require minimal technical knowledge, thus making them accessible to a broad audience, including minors. If the bill is signed, it will come into effect on August 1 and will govern all cases from that date onward.

While the bill does not single out any AI developers, it arrives amidst a series of prominent incidents on the social platform X. In August 2025, for instance, Elon Musk’s xAI tool, Grok, controversially produced nude deepfakes of Taylor Swift. In April, the pop icon took steps to trademark her voice and image, perhaps as a precaution against future AI replications.

Musk is under escalating legal scrutiny, including a federal class-action lawsuit filed by three minors from Tennessee, who allege that Grok inadvertently generated child sexual abuse material from their photos. Additionally, the city of Baltimore has initiated a consumer protection lawsuit against the company for purportedly deploying a system that produces and disseminates non-consensual sexualized content, including minors’ images.

Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen, highlighted the alarming speed at which AI has lowered the barriers for creating non-consensual intimate images, widening its reach into society.

“These applications predominantly target women, with more than 90% of victims being under 18. They serve as tools for intimidation and harassment, inflicting grave psychological effects,” Weissman stated in an interview with Decrypt. “This issue is prevalent both nationally and globally, highlighting an urgent need for governmental intervention and regulation.”

He also remarked on the importance of state-level laws complementing federal regulations, especially concerning enforcement. Local authorities may respond more promptly to specific cases, in contrast to federal agencies that may not prioritize these issues.

This legislative move by Minnesota coincides with ongoing debates between former President Donald Trump’s administration and various states regarding the governance of AI regulations. The Take It Down Act, signed into law in May 2025 under Trump, criminalizes the sharing of non-consensual intimate images, providing victims with avenues for civil reparations.

“I believe having complementary federal and state standards can be beneficial in principle, considering the different enforcement mechanisms,” Weissman concluded. “While there may be federal guidelines, enforcement may vary significantly.”

The office of Governor Walz has yet to respond to a request for comment from Decrypt.