German media outlet Die Aktuelle should be feeling full of shame following a recent article published by the gossip magazine, where they shared an ‘interview’ with seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher, which was generated by an AI chatbot.
The ‘interview’ made the front page, with the headline “Michael Schumacher, The First Interview, World Sensation”.
In considerably smaller font the magazine wrote “It sounds deceptively real”, suggesting that the interview was generated by something along the lines of ChatGPT.
It is certainly a vile and disgusting way at attracting readers by using the seven-time World Champion’s image, with the magazine having faced immense backlash and criticism for publishing such a ridiculous story.
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Schumacher, of course, hasn’t been seen since his horrible skiing accident in December 2013, which left him with severe head injuries.
Out of respect for the ex-F1 driver and his family, the German’s life has largely been kept a secret.
With Schumacher being viewed as a hero to millions across the world (including myself) and in particular in Germany, the European nation has been left furious at the fake interview.
German media expert Boris Rosenkranz was one of the first to write about his anger at the piece, which he shared in Ubermedien.
“This story here is a particularly remarkable cheek, even for ‘Die Aktuelle’,” Rosenkranz wrote.
“You can’t hide the calculation to give the readership the feeling that Michael Schumacher might be talking about his physical condition,” he added.
The first real time that Schumacher’s condition and life since his accident has been shared came in 2021, where his wife Corinna, daughter Gina and son Mick (Mercedes reserve driver), spoke about the incredible German in the Netflix documentary ‘Schumacher’.
“Of course, I miss Michael every day,” Corinna said. “But it’s not just me who misses him: the children, the family, his father, everyone around him.
“Everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here. [It’s] different, but he’s here, and that gives us strength, I find.”
Due to his condition, Mick’s father hasn’t been able to be in the paddock alongside him since the accident, with many believing that his F1 career and time at Haas would’ve gone very differently had Michael been there.
The family continue to do “everything” possible to make the ex-Ferrari driver’s life “better”, with one of the keys to that being a private life.
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“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. And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will,” Corinna continued.
“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. ‘Private is private’, he always said.
“It’s very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible, Michael always protected us, now we are protecting Michael.”