Chief Editor Sacked After Exposé On Michael Schumacher Fake Interview

Publishers of German tabloid magazine Die Aktuelle terminated Anne Hoffman, whose A.I. generated interview featuring Michael Schumacher got discovered.

After the fake interview’s exposé inferring the world famous race driver’s appearance since his accident in December 2013, Hoffman was discovered to have created the fake piece using artificial intelligence. Schumacher was reportedly placed in a medically induced coma until June 2014.

“This tasteless and misleading article should never have appeared. It is in no way corresponding to the standards of journalism that we – and our readers – expect from a publisher like Funke” Managing Director of publisher Funke magazines, Bianca Pohlmann said in a written statement. Funke has also apologised to the Schumacher family for the incident.

The Indian Express reported the publication, dated April 15, 2023, had a smiling Schumacher on the front and claimed that it had the celebrity’s first post-accident interview.

Schumacher has not been seen in public since he suffered a brain injury in a skiing accident in December 2013. His family threatened legal action against the German outlet after “Die Aktuelle” published the interview as its cover story. Hoffman was with the publication since 2009.

Indian Express added the front cover read “World sensation” while below it said “It sounds deceptively real.” The supposed quotes by Schumacher read:

“My life has completely changed since [the accident]. That was a horrible time for my wife, my children and the whole family. I was so badly injured that I lay for months in a kind of artificial coma, because otherwise my body couldn’t have dealt with it all. I’ve had a tough time but the hospital team has managed to bring me back to my family.”

In the end, the article concludes that the interview is in fact the result of an AI chatbot called Character.ai and the magazine has not spoken to Schumacher or anyone from his family.

What You Missed:

Fine-Tuning Production With Behringer Saws Inc
Faccin’s Insights On Choosing The Right Rolling Technology
Sumika Partners With Hexagon, Enabling 60% Plastic Carbon Reduction
Changing Times Of Healthcare Investment In ASEAN
Vietnam Automobile Market Continues Growing In March
Japanese Semiconductor Equipment Makers Hit By Export Controls
India Screens Samsung Electronics For Its Product Linked Incentive (PLI) Application
Nickel Prices May Head South Despite Inventory Decline
BYD’s Pole Position Is Here To Stay
The Slippery Slope About Price Wars — Brand And Positioning

WANT MORE INSIDER NEWS? SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DIGITAL MAGAZINE NOW!

CONNECT WITH US:  LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter

Letter to the Editor
Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you’d like to share with our readers? APMEN News would love to hear from you!

Email your letter to the Editorial Team at [email protected]