Lessons learned: AI ‘interview’ with F1 champion

A German weekly magazine, Die Aktuelle, published an “interview” with a former Formula One champion, which was generated by artificial intelligence.

Michael Schumacher, 54, has not been seen in public since suffering a serious brain injury ten years ago, and his family has been very protective of his privacy.

The article included AI-generated quotes that appeared to be real but were not. Schumacher’s family considered taking legal action against the magazine.

What did the magazine do?

The German magazine published an “interview” with Schumacher, the seven-time F1 champion, using supposed quotes from him in its 15 April edition. It also carried an image of Schumacher on its front cover.

However, the Ferrari great has not been seen in public since he suffered his injury in a skiing accident in 2013, and the family has guarded his privacy, with little information given about his condition.

The magazine’s use of AI to generate the “interview” raises concerns about transparency, accountability, and privacy.

Look at data through an ethical lens and learn how to manage large streams of data by taking our Data Ethics and AI Governance Frameworks course.

What are the implications?

The use of AI-generated content can deceive the public and create reputational risks for individuals and organisations, as seen in this case.

Additionally, it raises questions about who should be held accountable for the accuracy and impact of AI-generated content and highlights the need to respect individuals' privacy and data protection rights.

To address these concerns, publications should:

• ensure transparency in the creation and use of AI-generated content, and establish clear guidelines for the use of AI-generated content
• ensure that individuals and organisations using AI are accountable for the accuracy and impact of the content
• respect individuals’ privacy and data protection rights, and ensure that AI-generated content is not used to deceive the public or create reputational risks for individuals or organisations

Find out how you can soon achieve the region’s first Advanced Certificate in Generative AI, Ethics, and Data Protection, designed to enable a new generation of AI Business Professionals.

Click to view bigger image

To prevent such incidents from happening, media outlets and content creators should be transparent about the use of AI-generated content and obtain consent from the subjects or their families.

They should also implement guidelines and oversight to ensure the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content while respecting the privacy and values of individuals.

For access to news updates, blog articles, videos, events and free resources, please register for a complimentary DPEX Network community membership, and log in at dpexnetwork.org.