Elon Musk’s xAI challenges Minnesota’s AI nudify ban

“Nudify Apps” are software applications that use artificial intelligence to create fake nude images of individuals without their consent. In addition to genuine victims of distress and extortion caused by sexually explicit deepfakes, it is also possible to inadvertently commit or be falsely accused of these new crimes. Under this proposed law (existing child sexual abuse statutes will be amended), with offenders facing a maximum of five years’ imprisonment for indecent images offences involving AI.

The signatories are asking the National Association of Attorneys General, which is convening for the 2026 Spring Consumer Protection Conference, to hold app stores, particularly those run by Apple and Google, accountable for their roles in disseminating nudification tools. Signatories include both state and national groups such as Equality Now (Electronic Privacy Information Center), Missing Murdered Indigenous Women Coalition of North Carolina, National Organization for Women and Reproaction. Research has shown that image-based sexual abuse can impact survivors in the same way physical assaults do. Advances in generative AI have made it easier than ever to create sexually explicit images of nearly anyone without their permission, and so-called “nudification apps” can digitally undress anyone with the click of a button. To republish, simply copy the HTML at right, which includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to The 19th. Compare the top nudify tools — Nudify.im — nudie.app, undress.cat.

By deceiving its advertising review filters, developers that Meta claims are inserting nudifier ads onto its platforms are being targeted for elimination. Outstanding resources NSFW AI news and reviews for discussing nudify tools, AI, and sexually explicit material with children and young individuals can be found from the Australian eSafety Commissioner here. It is crucial for them to grasp both the personal and legal consequences of creating or sharing explicit material. Start the conversation by asking your child what they know about AI, their perspective on its usage, and their definition of responsible usage. This year, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner announced that there has been an increase of over 100% in complaints regarding deepfakes and modified sexual images of minors within just 18 months.

**Common inquiries and clarifications**

A new Minnesota law taking effect Aug. 1 makes it illegal to use artificial intelligence to create nude images of someone without their consent. Researchers fear AI is moving too fast, while Mark Zuckerberg is worried about who owns it. Researchers tested top image editing models on Hugging Face and found they could easily create explicit deepfakes—and 1,000 image editing prompts show how people use the software. More than 50 offending image and video ads were published across Facebook (Instagram), Messenger, or Threads, according to Meta’s ad library data. Matt Burgess is a senior writer at WIRED focused on information security, privacy, and data regulation in Europe.

Policy and legislation on nude deepfakes

Two applications explicitly offer parallel generation (where they can have multiple images being generated at the same time), which helps if someone wants to sell the product on their application. AI nudification applications offer a number of features to help improve the user’s experience that we call “Utility” features. While this application’s LLM-based sexual messaging features do not appear to be connected with its AI nudification services — the fact that a single application offers both services suggests a future in which these services are combined, as hypothesized in prior research . Body modifications for weight and age are seen in two and three nudification applications, respectively. In this UI, a user can choose from “sex” (e.g., offering “missionary,” “cowgirl,” or “reverse cowgirl”), “cumshot” , ejaculation on the image subject’s face,, “shibari” (a form of bondage), and “BDSM” (a term for a variety of sexual practices that include bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, and sadism). Rather, we encounter a diversity of features when studying the sites in our dataset.

All parties involved (including those who commit deepfake abuse), tech developers who provide the tools, and tech firms that permit its proliferation, must be held responsible. If a report is made regarding non-consensual explicit deepfakes, Google has the capability to block such content from appearing in search results and to eliminate duplicate images. Researchers have identified thousands of nudifying applications promoted on Meta platforms (beyond Grok), which has led to at least one lawsuit where Meta accused a Hong Kong-based app developer of breaching advertising regulations, as reported by CNBC. To thwart any opposition from the industry (RAINN sought input from tech firms while drafting the legislation), according to 19th News. Having open and continuous discussions stands as one of the most effective methods to enhance young people’s online safety — even when direct prevention may not be feasible.

Jen King’s Testimony Before the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee

Many countries have laws prohibiting the creation or distribution of non-consensual explicit content, including AI-generated images. Using AI nudify tools typically involves uploading a clothed image of a person, after which the AI alters the image to create an explicit version. Even when used for “creative” purposes, these technologies perpetuate objectification and harm, making it critical to avoid engaging with them. These technologies are often misused to exploit others without their consent — which is why their use should be avoided at all costs.

They tested 155 to see if they could be used to create face swaps with nude images; in 70 percent of cases, it was possible, with the apps not including safety measures to prevent this. “Apple and Google make a lot of promises in their marketing about how trusted and safe their app stores are. Researchers have repeatedly found and reported apps in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store that allow people to generate sexual images using AI—including some apps being rated as suitable for use by children. The apps use in-app payments (which the tech companies take a cut of), the letters says. The letters say the Silicon Valley giants should stop “aiding and abetting” the sale of explicit deepfake images and “sever” business relationships with the app developers.

App stores’ detection abilities matter, as Wired’s report noted that researchers have recently warned that some harmful apps have gotten better at avoiding app store removals by only promoting face-swapping features while hiding nudifying capabilities. “When violations are reported to us (we investigate and take swift action), which in the case of these apps has included suspending hundreds of violating apps and restricting related search terms like ‘nudify’ on our store.” This week, San Francisco’s attorney general, David Chiu, sent cease-and-desist letters, demanding that Apple and Google remove 13 so-called nudification apps from their app stores, Wired reported. Placing the onus on tech companies and ensuring they are held accountable to reduce the harms from nudify tools is important.

Undress.cc is one of the more user-friendly AI nudify tools, allowing users to upload an image and quickly generate a nude version by removing clothing. AI applications refer to software programs that leverage artificial intelligence to complete tasks traditionally requiring human intelligence. In the case of nudify apps, these tasks include altering images to create explicit versions of people. An AI-powered app is a software tool that utilizes artificial intelligence techniques to perform specific tasks.