Magazine publishes Michael Schumacher fake AI-generated interview

A German magazine published a fake, AI-generated interview with former F1 racing driver Michael Schumacher, resulting in widespread outcry and ridicule.

German tabloid magazine Die Aktuelle received a public dressing down for publishing a so-called 'exclusive interview' with the former F1 racing driver, who had been in an induced coma since a 2014 skiing accident.

The article was produced using Character AI, an AI system that automatically generated 'quotes' by Schumacher about his health and family, and only revealed it had been artificially generated at the bottom of the 'interview'. The magazine ran it on its front cover, with the headline 'Michael Schumacher, the first interview'.

The Funke Media Group, which owns Die Aktuelle, later apologised for the incident and fired the magazine's editor-in-chief Anne Hoffmann. The Schumacher family said they would take legal action against the magazine. 

System

• Character AI website

• Character AI Wikipedia profile

Legal, regulatory

• TBC

News, commentary, analysis

• https://www.reuters.com/sports/motor-sports/german-magazine-apologises-schumacher-family-sacks-editor-2023-04-22/

• https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/24/business/media/michael-schumacher-ai-fake-interview.html

• https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/apr/22/michael-schumacher-formula-one-interview-die-aktuelle-editor-sacked

• https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/formula1/2023/04/22/michael-schumacher-fake-ai-interview-editor-fired-die-aktuelle/11721183002/