German magazine sacks editor over AI-generated interview with Michael Schumacher

The publishers of the German magazine Die Aktuelle have faced a backlash after running a cover story that promised the first interview with Formula One legend Michael Schumacher. The piece, which contained quotes supposedly produced by artificial intelligence, has been described as "tasteless and misleading" by Funke media group, the magazine's owner. The family of Schumacher, who has not been seen in public since he suffered a serious brain injury in a skiing accident in 2013, has announced plans to take legal action against the publication.

In response to the controversy, Funke has apologised and taken swift action against Die Aktuelle's editor-in-chief, Anne Hoffmann, who has been relieved of her duties. The company's managing director, Bianca Pohlmann, has emphasised that the article did not meet the standards of journalism expected by Funke and its readers.

"This tasteless and misleading article should never have appeared. It in no way meets the standards of journalism that we – and our readers – expect from a publisher like Funke," Pohlmann said in a statement on their website.

Schumacher's family has maintained strict privacy over the former driver's condition since the accident, and the quotes produced by AI were seen as a particular affront. The family has provided limited access to Schumacher and only allows those closest to him to visit. 

In a 2021 Netflix documentary, Schumacher's wife Corinna spoke of the family's efforts to support her husband: "We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he's comfortable, and to simply make him feel our family, our bond. We're trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives."

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