In the last couple of years, artificial intelligence has moved fast sometimes way too fast for the rules meant to control it. One of the most controversial examples is the rise of so-called AI “nudify” apps. These tools use generative AI to digitally remove clothing from photos, creating fake nude images that look disturbingly realistic. What shocked many people is not just that these apps exist, but that some of them managed to slip through the defenses of Google Play and Apple’s App Store.
Both Google and Apple have strict policies against sexual exploitation, non-consensual content, and misleading apps. Yet, despite these guardrails, several AI nudify tools were approved, distributed, and even promoted before being taken down. This raises a big question: how did this happen and what does it say about the current state of app moderation in the age of AI?
The biggest trick these apps used was disguised functionality. On the surface, many of them didn’t describe themselves as nudify tools at all. Instead, they marketed themselves as harmless photo editors, AI art generators, or “clothing swap” and “body enhancement” apps. The app descriptions, screenshots, and preview videos were carefully curated to look clean enough to pass automated and human reviews.
Once installed, however, users would unlock the real features through in-app prompts, updates, or external links. Some apps redirected users to web-based tools after installation, allowing developers to bypass stricter in-store enforcement. In other cases, explicit functionality was hidden behind vague labels like “AI filter,” “realistic transformation,” or “advanced body effects.”
This highlights a major weakness in current app review systems: they focus heavily on what an app claims to do, not always what it actually does.
Before generative AI, creating fake nude images required serious technical skill and time. Now, anyone with a smartphone can do it in seconds. That ease of use dramatically increased demand and developers were quick to respond.
Many nudify apps rely on diffusion models or GAN-based image manipulation, trained on massive datasets scraped from the internet. These models don’t “understand” consent or ethics. They simply generate what they’re asked to generate. The problem isn’t just the technology itself, but how easily it can be packaged, monetized, and distributed at scale.
Some of these apps even offered subscription plans, turning non-consensual image manipulation into a business model. That’s where things get especially dangerous.
The biggest victims of AI nudify apps are ordinary people especially women. Photos taken from social media can be uploaded without permission and turned into fake explicit images. These images can then be shared, used for harassment, blackmail, or humiliation.
Even when the images are clearly fake, the damage is real. Victims report anxiety, reputational harm, and emotional distress. In some cases, fake nude images have been used in schools, workplaces, and online communities to bully or silence people.
What makes this worse is how hard it is to fight back. Once an image spreads online, removing it completely is almost impossible. Legal systems in many countries are still catching up, and platform responses are often slow.
Google and Apple are not small players they are two of the most powerful tech companies in the world. So why did these apps get through?
First, scale. Millions of apps and updates are reviewed every year. While both companies use a mix of automated checks and human reviewers, AI-based deception is getting smarter. Apps can behave differently during review than after approval.
Second, policy lag. App store rules were written for an earlier era of software. While they ban explicit content and harassment, they don’t always explicitly address AI-generated non-consensual imagery. Developers exploit these gray areas.
Third, reactive enforcement. In many cases, nudify apps were only removed after journalists, researchers, or users raised alarms. By the time action was taken, the apps had already been downloaded thousands or even millions of times.
When an app is removed from Google Play or the App Store, the story doesn’t end. Many developers simply rebrand, change names, or move to web-based platforms. Others distribute APK files directly or advertise through social media.
This creates a game of whack-a-mole, where enforcement is always one step behind. It also shows that app store bans alone are not enough.
The controversy around AI nudify apps has sparked new discussions about regulation. Some countries are considering laws that explicitly criminalize the creation and distribution of non-consensual AI-generated intimate images. Platforms are under pressure to improve detection and take faster action.
There’s also growing support for watermarking AI-generated images, stronger identity checks for developers, and clearer AI-specific app policies. Apple and Google have both signaled they are updating their guidelines, but critics argue progress is still too slow.
At its core, the nudify app issue isn’t just about sexual content. It’s about AI accountability. As AI tools become more powerful, the line between “just software” and real-world harm gets thinner.
If platforms can’t reliably detect and stop apps that enable abuse, trust in digital ecosystems erodes. Users expect app stores to be safe by default. When that trust breaks, everyone loses.
The fact that AI nudify apps managed to slip past Google and Apple is a wake-up call. It shows how quickly bad actors can exploit new technology and how unprepared existing systems still are.
AI is not slowing down. That means moderation, regulation, and responsibility need to speed up. Otherwise, this won’t be the last time harmful AI tools go mainstream before anyone notices.
The real challenge isn’t just removing these apps it’s building a future where innovation doesn’t come at the cost of human dignity.
