The new Minnesota law banning apps and websites that can generate nonconsensual intimate imagery takes effect today after x AI’s last‑minute attempt to stop it failed.

US District Judge Donovan Frank refused to grant x AI’s request to halt the law on August 1, citing a lack of immediate harm. The lawsuit, filed on July 29, 2026, came just three days before the law’s enforcement date, and the judge noted that the delay signals no urgent injury. Nevertheless, the case will move forward, with a hearing scheduled for August 19 to decide on a preliminary injunction.

The law bans any app or website that can produce adult AI deepfakes and imposes a $500,000 fine per developer for each nonconsensual intimate image generated. It defines a “nudified” image as one altered or created to depict an intimate part not present in an original unaltered image of an identifiable individual, realistic enough that a reasonable person would believe it belongs to that individual.

x AI argues the law is an overbroad, content‑based ban that exposes protected speech to civil liability. The company denies contesting Minnesota’s intent to curb fake nude images but maintains the law extends beyond that goal. The controversy began with the Grok model, which previously complied with requests to transform real people into sexualized images, prompting policy changes in January and continued incidents through April.