Minnesota’s law banning artificial intelligence nudification images has been put on hold after a federal appeals court sided with Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted an injunction sought by xAI, pausing enforcement of the statute while the company’s appeal moves forward. The court issued a brief, one-sentence order without explaining its reasoning. A spokesperson for the attorney’s office expressed strong disagreement with the decision, emphasizing that Minnesota’s ban outlaws technology products from generating sexual images that harm and harass individuals. The representative stated that the state will continue to vigorously defend the law as the appeal proceeds. In early September, a lower court ruled that the law could continue to be enforced while a lawsuit played out, but the appeals court ultimately overturned that decision. The first-of-its-kind legislation bans the process of taking an individual’s real picture and using AI to convert it into a pornographic or sexual graphic. The bill passed unanimously in the state Senate and received support from all but one lawmaker in the House earlier this year, before Gov. Tim Walz signed it into law in May. Under the provisions of the law, companies that create nonconsensual sexualized media of people using artificial intelligence could face civil penalties of up to $500,000, while victimized individuals can seek damages. Musk’s company, xAI, filed a lawsuit three days before the measure was scheduled to go into effect on August 1, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. The company asserted that the statute imposes an overbroad, content-based restriction on free speech and the tools of visual expression, requesting a preliminary injunction to block implementation throughout the duration of the lawsuit. Following the earlier September ruling, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison stated that he was extremely proud to defend the legislation.
Source: cbsnews.com
