Schumacher’s family wins R4m payout for fake interview
The family has secured €200,000 compensation from the publishers of a magazine that printed an AI-generated ‘interview’ with F1 champion
23 May 2024 - 07:42
by Alan Baldwin
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Ferrari great Schumacher has not been seen in public since a skiing accident in 2013. Picture: SUPPLIED
Michael Schumacher’s family has secured €200,000 (about R4m) compensation from the publishers of a German magazine that printed an AI-generated “interview” with the seven-times Formula One world champion.
A family spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed a Munich labour court judgment and settlement by Funke media group, publishers of the magazine Die Aktuelle, without making any further comment.
The magazine’s editor was fired in 2023, with Funke apologising to Schumacher’s family.
Ferrari great Schumacher, now 55, has not been seen in public since he suffered a serious brain injury in a skiing accident on a family holiday in the French Alps in December 2013.
Schumacher’s family maintains strict privacy about the former driver’s condition, with access limited to those closest to him.
Die Aktuelle ran a front coverin April 2023 with a picture of a smiling Schumacher and the headline promising “Michael Schumacher, the first interview”.
The strapline added: “It sounded deceptively real” but inside the “quotes” were revealed to have been generated by artificial intelligence.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
NEWS
Schumacher’s family wins R4m payout for fake interview
The family has secured €200,000 compensation from the publishers of a magazine that printed an AI-generated ‘interview’ with F1 champion
Michael Schumacher’s family has secured €200,000 (about R4m) compensation from the publishers of a German magazine that printed an AI-generated “interview” with the seven-times Formula One world champion.
A family spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed a Munich labour court judgment and settlement by Funke media group, publishers of the magazine Die Aktuelle, without making any further comment.
The magazine’s editor was fired in 2023, with Funke apologising to Schumacher’s family.
Ferrari great Schumacher, now 55, has not been seen in public since he suffered a serious brain injury in a skiing accident on a family holiday in the French Alps in December 2013.
Schumacher’s family maintains strict privacy about the former driver’s condition, with access limited to those closest to him.
Die Aktuelle ran a front cover in April 2023 with a picture of a smiling Schumacher and the headline promising “Michael Schumacher, the first interview”.
The strapline added: “It sounded deceptively real” but inside the “quotes” were revealed to have been generated by artificial intelligence.
Reuters
Max Verstappen holds off late challenge by Lando Norris to win Imola
Mercedes in ‘no-man’s land’, says Hamilton
McLaren to pay tribute to Ayrton Senna at Monaco GP
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.