Minnesota bans fake AI nudes; app makers face $500K fines

Minnesota has become the first state in the U.S. to pass a law specifically targeting AI nudification apps,tools designed to digitally “undress” or sexualize images of real people without their consent. The legislation, which cleared the state Senate in a unanimous 65–0 vote on Wednesday, follows a similarly swift approval in the House last week. Governor Tim Walz is expected to sign the bill, with enforcement set to begin this August.

Under the new law, developers of websites, apps, software, or any other service created to generate fake nude images face significant legal exposure. Victims can sue for extensive damages, including punitive awards, and the state’s attorney general has the authority to impose fines of up to $500,000 per flagged fake AI nude. Any fines collected will be directed toward funding services for victims of sexual assault, general crime, domestic violence, and child abuse, as stipulated in the legislation.

The measure also allows Minnesota to block access to offending products within the state, effectively barring their operation. This aggressive legal framework is designed to deter the creation and distribution of non-consensual deepfake pornography, a growing problem as AI image-generation tools become more accessible. By targeting the developers behind nudification apps, Minnesota aims to strike at the source of the harm, rather than simply punishing individual users.

The unanimous votes in both chambers underscore the bipartisan urgency to address the misuse of AI in creating exploitative content. With Governor Walz’s signature expected, Minnesota will set a precedent that other states may soon follow, signaling a new front in the battle against AI-powered image abuse.