ZDF’s editor‑in‑chief Bettina Schausten has defended the decision to remove the station chief in New York over the use of unlabelled artificial‑intelligence (AI) material in an episode of the “Heute‑Journal”.
“The decision is driven by the facts. It is a breach of rules and demands a response” Schausten told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” in its Wednesday edition. She said there is no evidence of intentional deception. Former long‑time anchor Claus Kleber publicly criticised the dismissal.
Schausten admitted editorial lapses that allowed the unlabelled piece to be transmitted on the “Heute‑Journal”. “We are examining this closely right now, and it could also have legal repercussions” she explained. The story was sent from Mainz for final clearance; “an alarm should have sounded there because it was clear that network‑sourced material had been used”. In the ZDF’s communication on the matter, the gravity of the issue was only recognised late.
The February 15 episode about ICE terminations included AI‑generated scenes that were not flagged, as well as a clip taken from a different context. The ZDF is still investigating why the AI source was not identified, but Schausten said that a label would not have changed the outcome. According to her, AI‑generated material shall not appear in news unless the piece itself is about AI.
Moving forward, Schausten announced that internal review processes would be tightened. “We must increase sensitivity” she said. She also noted that the incident marks a “impactful moment” at the dawn of the media AI era and sees it as an opportunity to improve. “We are damaged, but also smarter” she added.