The family of German former Formula One champion wins legal case against tabloid over fake AI interview

The family of former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher has won a court case against tabloid magazine Die Aktuelle for publishing a forged AI-generated interview with him

The family of German former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher stated Thursday that they had won a court fight against the tabloid magazine Die Aktuelle, which had published a forged AI-generated interview with the 55-year-old sports great.

Die Aktuelle claimed to have had an exclusive interview with Schumacher in April 2023, his first since suffering catastrophic brain damage in a skiing accident in the French Alps in 2013. However, the alleged interview headlined “Michael Schumacher, the first interview,” was eventually shown to include comments created by artificial intelligence.

A Schumacher family representative confirmed to AFP on Thursday that the case was “successful,” but declined to disclose any other information. According to the German newspaper Bild, the family was granted 200,000 euros ($220,000) in damages, albeit the family’s counsel has not validated this sum.

After the phony interview was published, the magazine’s publisher issued a public apology to Schumacher and his family. Anne Hoffmann, Die Aktuelle’s editor-in-chief, was also let go.

The German Press Council (DP) denounced the false story, adding that such deceptive techniques “are likely to damage the credibility of the media.”

Schumacher has not been in public since his injury and is being treated at his family’s home in Switzerland. The German driver, who retired in 2012, has seven Formula One World Championships, which he shares with British driver Lewis Hamilton.

Source: AFP