The family of former F1 champion Michael Schumacher is taking legal action against a German magazine that published a fake interview with him using artificial intelligence (AI).
The magazine, Die Aktuelle, ran a cover story on April 14 promising “the first interview!” with Schumacher since he suffered a brain injury in a skiing accident in 2013.
The article contained fabricated quotes attributed to Schumacher, which were only revealed to be generated by AI at the end of the article. A spokesperson for Schumacher’s family confirmed to ESPN and Reuters on April 20 that they will pursue legal action against the magazine.
The fake interview has sparked outrage among Schumacher’s fans and raised ethical and legal questions about using AI to impersonate celebrities.
Schumacher has not been seen publicly since his accident, and his family has kept his health condition private. In September 2021, his wife Corinna Schumacher spoke about his condition in a Netflix documentary about his racing career.
She said he still shows her how strong he is daily and that they do everything possible to make him comfortable. Schumacher’s son Mick is also a Formula One driver and currently races for Haas.
AI-generated media raises legal concerns
The Schumacher case is not the only example of AI-generated media causing legal issues.
A clip of rapper Kanye West supposedly performing a cover of Drake’s hit song “Hold On, We’re Going Home” recently went viral on Twitter, but AI generated the audio.
An AI service created the clip called Vocal Synthesis, which allows users to make celebrities say anything they want. The clip sparked outrage among fans and raised ethical and legal concerns over the use of AI to impersonate artists.
UMG, a media conglomerate, has reportedly instructed streaming companies like Spotify to ban AI-related services from accessing copyrighted media.
UMG, which has the rights to Kanye West’s and Drake’s music, is concerned about AI-generated songs. As well as Sony.
Sony made a deal with an AI startup to create new songs. Some artists use AI as a creative tool.
Travis Scott and Lyrebird used AI-generated vocals to create “Franchise” in 2020.
AI-generated media is more realistic and risky. Lawmakers and courts need to address their legal and ethical issues. Regulating and protecting AI-generated media rights is a collaborative and innovative challenge.
