Minnesota to ban AI apps that generate fake nude images

Minnesota lawmakers have passed a bill aimed at stopping growing forms of AI abuse by targeting the platforms that enable it.

On Thursday, the Minnesota Senate voted 65-0 to pass House File 1606, sending it to Gov. Tim Walz for his signature. The measure would prohibit websites and apps from offering tools that generate realistic fake nude images of identifiable people.

Under this bill, companies that control websites, apps, or software services cannot allow users to access or use tools to create or generate these images on their behalf. Advertising or promotion of such services is also prohibited.

The measure would allow victims to sue individuals and companies that operate or manage nudity tools, such as websites, apps and software that generate fake nude images. People depicted in AI-generated nude images can seek damages, including emotional distress, and courts can award up to three times the actual damages, along with punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and a cease-and-desist order.

The bill would also authorize the state attorney general to enforce the law and impose civil penalties of up to $500,000 for each use. According to the bill, these fines would be put into the state’s general fund and used to pay for victim services, including support for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse.

The bill targets tools that require little technical expertise and have become widely accessible, including to minors. If signed, the law would go into effect on August 1 and apply to new lawsuits after that date.

Although there is no mention of a single AI developer in the new bill, the news comes after a series of high-profile incidents at social platform The pop superstar filed to trademark his voice and likeness with the U.S. Patent Office in April, presumably to prevent future AI replication.

Mr. Musk also faces mounting legal pressure, including a federal class-action lawsuit filed by three minors in Tennessee who say they generated child sexual abuse material from Mr. Grok’s images. Additionally, a consumer protection lawsuit from the City of Baltimore alleges that the company knowingly implemented a system that created and disseminated non-consensual sexual content involving minors.

Robert Wiseman, co-president of Public Citizen, said the proliferation of these tools reflects how quickly AI has lowered the barriers to creating non-consensual intimate images and expanded its reach.

“These apps target 99% of women, more than 90% of whom are under the age of 18. This is a tool of intimidation and harassment against women, and it has very serious psychological effects,” Wiseman said. decryption. “Situations like this are being seen across the country and around the world. Therefore, the need for government intervention and regulation is acute.”

Wiseman added that state-level laws could play a role alongside federal efforts, especially when it comes to enforcement. He said local governments may be in a better position to act quickly on individual cases, but federal agencies may prioritize those cases or not pursue them at all.

Minnesota’s law also comes amid an ongoing battle between President Donald Trump’s administration and the state over who should control AI regulation. The Take It Down Act, signed by President Donald Trump in May 2025, criminalizes the distribution of intimate images without consent and provides victims with an avenue to seek civil damages.

“I think it’s positive, especially in theory, to have complementary federal and state standards. We’re talking about different enforcement systems and enforcement agencies,” Wiseman said. “So while there may be federal standards, there may not be the federal ability to take enforcement action.”

Gov. Walz’s office did not immediately respond. decryptionThis is a comment request from .