Irish Examiner View: AI pushing the boundaries of poor taste

A German magazine recently used quotes not from Michael Schumacher, but quotes which had been produced by AI.

F1 driver Michael Schumacher, pictured in 2010. A spokesperson for the Schumacher family has said they intend to take legal action against German magazine 'Die Aktuelle'. File pcture: PA

In recent weeks, there has been an explosion in the use of, and discussions about, artificial intelligence.

For instance, ChatGPT has grabbed headlines for its ability to generate text on different topics in various fields, while only this week a German photographer rejected an award from the Sony World Photography Awards after revealing that his submission was generated by AI. 

'Pseudomnesia', winner of the Open Competition, Creative category at the  2023 Sony World Photography Awards. Picture submitted by: Boris Eldagsen

Another staging post in the use of AI may now have arrived: the lawsuit.

A German magazine, Die Aktuelle, recently ran a front cover with a picture of Michael Schumacher smiling broadly under the headline ‘Michael Schumacher, the first interview’.

On the face of it, this seemed quite the scoop. Schumacher, a seven-time Formula One champion, has not been seen in public since he suffered a serious brain injury in a skiing accident while holidaying in the French Alps in 2013. Since then, his family has guarded his privacy very closely, with access limited to the people closest to him, and little information given about his condition.

It turns out that the Die Aktuelle magazine piece used quotes not from Schumacher, but quotes which had been produced by AI. 

A spokesperson for the Schumacher family has since confirmed to ESPN that legal action will be taken.

There has been a good deal of speculation about what AI means, such as the possibility of machines using AI attaining a level of consciousness, something which is likely to remind some of science fiction films such as The Terminator.

If the Schumachers pursue this legal action against Die Aktuelle, it will likely clarify some more pressing issues about AI, not least the boundaries of poor taste.