Hearing Wednesday over xAI's request to temporarily block Minnesota's AI "nudification" ban
Elon Musk's company xAI will face off with the state of Minnesota in court Wednesday over a new state law banning AI "nudification."
xAI's lawsuit over the ban is turning into a fight over how far Minnesota can go to regulate AI-generated images, and whether it crosses the line into protected speech.
AI nudification is when AI-powered apps create fake, sexualized images of real people, including images made without that person's consent.
Musk's company argues the law is too broad and violates the First Amendment. The company also says the law could cover images that are consensual or have artistic, scientific, educational and other protected purposes.
xAI first asked a judge to block the law before it took effect Aug. 1, but the judge denied that request, saying the company waited too long to bring the case.
Tuesday's hearing is about whether the judge should temporarily stop Minnesota from enforcing the law while the larger legal challenge moves through court.
According to the civil complaint, xAI "does not contest Minnesota's interest in prohibiting the dissemination of artificially generated nude images of real people without their consent," but the law "extends far beyond that goal."
Minnesota lawmakers spoke out last month after Musk filed the suit.
"I cannot believe we are having this conversation," DFL state Sen. Erin Maye Quade said. "And the audacity to come to Minnesota that is the first, but not the last, state to protect children and the people within this state the same day you have multiple people across the world suing you for the harm that you're causing is pretty audacious,"
"Children need us to stand up to this and to do something about it. And for too long we have been afraid to talk about it or uncomfortable to talk about it," DFL state Rep. Jessica Hanson said. "Why does the richest man in the world want to protect a feature that makes children naked?"
The hearing is slated to start at 9:30 a.m. Maye Quade, who helped make the ban happen, said she will attend the hearing and plans to answer any questions afterward.
