San Francisco Officials Demand Removal of AI ‘Nudify’ Applications from Major App Stores

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has formally instructed Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc. to remove applications capable of generating non-consensual nude imagery from their respective digital platforms. The directive, issued via official letters, alleges that both technology giants have hosted software that violates state laws for an extended period despite being aware of the nature of these tools.

The applications in question, often referred to as “nudify” services, utilize artificial intelligence to digitally manipulate photographs and remove clothing from subjects without their permission. The City Attorney’s correspondence asserts that the continued availability of such software facilitates non-consensual sexual imagery and constitutes a breach of legal standards.

For Apple, which maintains the App Store for its extensive ecosystem of iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers, this adds to the ongoing scrutiny regarding content moderation. The company currently holds a market capitalization of approximately $4.63 trillion. Shares of Apple were trading slightly lower on the day, down 0.32% to $333.75.

Alphabet, facing its own set of regulatory challenges, is similarly required to purge these applications from the Google Play Store. The company’s stock experienced more significant movement during the session, dropping 3.34% to $345.58. Alphabet operates through its Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets segments, providing a vast array of products and platforms globally.

Both companies have yet to publicly detail specific actions taken in response to the City Attorney’s letters, though the pressure to enforce stricter app store guidelines is intensifying. The situation highlights the growing legal and ethical risks associated with policing user-generated content and AI-powered tools on centralized distribution platforms.

What to watch

• Official responses from Apple and Alphabet regarding the removal timeline for the specified apps.
• Future policy updates to app store review processes concerning AI-generated content.
• Potential for similar regulatory actions from other municipalities or state entities.

Source: original release