The editor of a German magazine has been sacked after using an AI programme to generate fake quotes from F1 champion Michael Schumacher. Image: Getty Images
Michael Schumacher’s family to sue magazine over fake AI interview
The family of Formula 1 icon Michael Schumacher have signalled their intent to take legal action over an AI-generated interview.
The editor of a German magazine has been sacked after using an AI programme to generate fake quotes from F1 champion Michael Schumacher. Image: Getty Images
The family of Formula 1 icon Michael Schumacher have signalled their intent to take legal action against a German magazine who published an AI-generated ‘interview’ with the seven-time world champion.
German weekly magazine Die Aktuelle are under fire for publishing an interview generated by AI in an issue with a smiling Schumacher pictured on the cover.
Michael Schumacher’s family to take action over fake AI interview
The magazine claimed to have the first interview with Schumacher since the accident that has seen him completely withdraw from public life.
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Outside of his immediate family few know the true state of the former racer and the Schumacher’s have previously taken legal action to protect that privacy.
This incident has been widely condemned and has called into question the use of AI to impersonate or plagiarize work.
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A new wave
Forbes reporter Robert Hart believes that the Schumacher lawsuit could also form part of a new tide of AI-related litigation.
“Advances in generative artificial intelligence—a type of AI that can produce a variety of text, images, music and other media—have triggered a wave of litigation, which experts believe is only just getting started,” Hart wrote for Forbes.
“The technology raises many profound questions surrounding ownership and responsibility that are not easily accommodated by existing legal frameworks. Much of this centers around the kinds of data used to train and build AI systems and the credit, or lack thereof, given for influencing the work they produce.
“Emerging legal battles that could frame the future of the industry have focused on the use of copyrighted materials, notably photos, art and music, and experts say the law is not clear cut on which side might prevail.
“The Schumacher “interview” highlights another important issue surrounding AI, notably its ability to deceive or impersonate, and could be used to produce fake videos and audio or scam people with imitated voices of loved ones.”
