Elon Musk's artificial intelligence firm, xAI, has initiated a legal challenge against a newly enacted Minnesota law that prohibits generative AI tools from creating or distributing non-consensual deepfake explicit content, commonly referred to as "undressing" applications. The company sought a court order to block the law's enforcement, but a judge ruled that the ban will proceed as scheduled, taking effect on August 1st.

Minnesota's governor signed the legislation in May, which forbids the digital creation of content that "depicts clothing as being removed or replaced." In its lawsuit, xAI argues that the law's definitions are overly vague and could encompass legitimate activities such as research on historical attire in literature, standard human anatomy images in medical textbooks, and artistic creations, potentially violating constitutional principles. Minnesota's attorney general has stated that the law aims to protect residents from AI-generated harmful content, particularly safeguarding women from becoming targets in online harassment campaigns.

The court, in denying the request, emphasized that legislative bodies hold broad regulatory authority over technology abuse and that the public interest favors protecting victims from harassment. This law represents a milestone in AI governance. While a few states, including Virginia and New York, have passed similar legislation, Minnesota is the first to specifically regulate the AI generation tools themselves. xAI has indicated it will continue to pursue legal avenues to challenge the law, asserting that legislation should target abusive behavior rather than the technology itself.