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 it would take legal action against the magazine. System 🤖 Character AI Operator: Die Aktuelle Developer: Character AI Countr y: Germany Sector: Media/entertainment/sports/arts Purpose: Create characters Technology: Chatbot; Machine learning Issue: Impersonation; Mis/disinformation; Privacy; Transparency
- Date it happened
- 2023-04-01
- Organisation involved
- Die Aktuelle
- Product, system or model
- Character.AI
This incident was imported from AIAAIC and is used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Our additions to it — the structured fields, the translation, the checks against other reports — are published under the same licence.
This is a record of what was reported, not a finding that anyone broke the law. If it names your organisation and you believe it is wrong, the corrections process is free and open to everyone.