German editor fired over AI-created Schumacher 'interview'

The editor-in-chief of German tabloid Die Aktuelle was fired for publishing an AI-generated "interview" with Formula One legend Michael Schumacher.

The Funke media group — which publishes the magazine — announced the dismissal of Anne Hoffmann and apologized to the Schumacher family on Friday.

"This tasteless and misleading article should never have appeared. It in no way corresponds to the standards of journalism that we — and our readers — expect from a publisher like Funke," said Bianca Pohlmann, managing director of Funke magazines.

Die Aktuelle editor-in-chief Anne Hoffmann will be removed from her duties with immediate effect, it went on to say.

Schumacher still secluded

The article, published earlier this week, has been focusing on the danger that artificial intelligence presents to journalism within German media. The front page of the tabloid carried the headline — "Michael Schumacher: The first interview!" with a picture of the former F1 world champion. A smaller headline read "It sounds deceptively real."

The article inside made it clear that the tabloid was writing about a fake interview generated by a website that used artificial intelligence tools.

The Schumacher family, on Thursday, confirmed that it plans to take legal action against the German magazine. 

Michael Schumacher, now 54, has lived in complete seclusion since a major brain injury, while skiing in 2013, left him with severe long-lasting health effects.

He has not been seen in public since the accident.

mk/dj (dpa, AFP)