Highlights
- Michael Schumacher’s family have been awarded £170,000 in damages after a magazine ran fake AI quotes as a ‘world exclusive’.
- The magazine in question used AI to generate an interview with the Formula 1 legend, who hasn’t been seen in public since 2013.
- Schumacher suffered a life-changing injury while skiing, and updates on his health have been few and far between since.
The family of ex-Formula 1 star Michael Schumacher have been paid £170,000 in damages after a fake interview with the racing legend was published in the magazine Die Aktuelle last year. The German magazine claimed to have secured a “world exclusive” with the former Ferrari driver, but really the interview was fabricated using an AI chatbot.
Schumacher has not been seen in public since his 2013 crash in the French Alps, which led to him being in a medically induced coma for six months. The two-page spread, entitled “My life has completely changed,” detailed Schumacher’s condition, his future recovery prospects, and his family. The article promised that it was the “most incredible interview,” rather than “half sentences with friends,” as they were able to land an exclusive with the Formula 1 star.
Michael Schumacher’s Family Win Case
News broke of the settlement on Tuesday, as the Munich Labour Court revealed that Die Aktuelle’s parent firm, Funke Media, paid €200,000 in damages to the Schumacher family.
This information was revealed during a trial involving Die Aktuelle editor Anne Hoffman, who was fired after the interview was printed. The court ruled that the magazine was not justified in removing Hoffman from her position, however, so she may also be paid a settlement in the aftermath of the incident.
The family’s representatives hinted that they would pursue legal action against the magazine last year following the publication of the interview. Despite the settlement, Die Aktuelle only admitted that their quotes were fabricated. They allegedly used graphic descriptions of the injuries sustained by Schumacher to generate responses from the AI chatbot.
Michael Schumacher’s Accident & the Aftermath
The interview was of such great interest because very little is known about Schumacher’s health. The ex-Ferrari driver was injured while skiing off-piste in Meribel, France. Attempting to help another skier, Schumacher lost control and hit an exposed rock. Despite being initially conscious, he was quickly airlifted to a hospital in Moutiers.
It took Schumacher 250 days to wake up from his medically induced coma, and there has been very little said in the press about his subsequent recovery. Jean Todt, however, friend of the Schumacher family and former Ferrari honcho, has previously said: “He is no longer the Michael we knew in Formula 1.”
The Dangers of AI
The publication of this interview speaks to the insidious capabilities of AI technology, especially in the media. From deepfakes to fake interviews, AI has the potential to create many more fabricated stories like these. Lisa Palmer, an AI expert, spoke with The Sun Online about digital bots. She warned that AI will be taken advantage of by “rotten” actors, who utilise its capabilities for the wrong reasons.
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Palmer continued by saying: “Lawsuits are already pending for defamation due to ‘lies’ being perpetuated by generative AI tools like ChatGPT.”
Likening the situation to a kitchen, Palmer argued: “A chef who serves rotten food is unethical and puts their customers’ health at risk. Rotten food leads to personal illness. Rotten reporting leads to societal illness.”
While AI chatbots can be used for good, as you can verify by speaking to many students using the software to streamline study practice, the technology has insidious capabilities if utilised in malicious ways.
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