Schumacher family to sue over ’fake’ interview

Michael Schumacher’s family has confirmed it will take legal action against a German gossip magazine.

In its latest edition, weekly women’s magazine Die Aktuelle published a fake interview purported to be with Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher.

Schumacher has not been seen or heard from publicly since his late 2013 skiing accident in which he sustained serious head injuries.

His current health status is completely unknown.

"Finally get answers almost ten years after his tragic skiing accident," the magazine promised.

"No meagre, nebulous half-sentences from friends. But answers from him!"

Only at the footer of the article was it acknowledged that the interview was completely fake and generated by an AI language model.

"A spokesman for the Schumacher family says that legal action has already been commenced against the magazine," Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad claims.

Agence France-Presse (AFP), meanwhile, added: "The Schumacher family intends to take legal action over the interview."

The French news agency said Schumacher’s manager and family spokesperson Sabine Kehm confirmed the intent to sue Die Aktuelle in an email.

German broadcaster RTL reported: "With the support of their management around Sabine Kehm, the Schumachers will take legal action against both the magazine and the site on which the interview was made using artificial intelligence."

Die Aktuelle is published by Funke Mediengruppe.

"When asked by RTL, Funke Mediengruppe did not want to comment on how Die Aktuell will deal with it. The question of whether the magazine will apologise to the Schumacher family also remains unanswered for the time being."