On February 15, Germany's ZDF news magazine "Heute-Journal" aired a controversial segment involving the US immigration agency ICE, featuring a video that turned out to be created by artificial intelligence. This revelation was not disclosed to viewers, raising serious questions about the integrity of the reporting. The segment also used outdated and out-of-context material, further damaging ZDF's credibility. In response to the backlash, the Hessian media authority has demanded clarification from the broadcaster, putting additional pressure on ZDF to address the issue adequately.

Following the incident, ZDF's leadership made a significant decision by dismissing Nicola Albrecht, the author of the segment and head of the ZDF bureau in New York. This action has been seen by some as a superficial fix for a larger systemic failure within the network. Notably, Claus Kleber, a veteran journalist associated with "Heute-Journal," publicly criticized the dismissal of Albrecht, suggesting that simply removing one individual does not resolve the fundamental issues at play in the newsroom.

When pressed for further comments, ZDF's General Director Norbert Himmler deferred questions to Chief Editor Bettina Schausten, who defended the decision to dismiss Albrecht. This incident highlights broader concerns about the use of AI in journalism as well as the responsibility of media organizations to maintain editorial standards and transparency with their audience, which have come into sharper focus amid growing skepticism about the authenticity of news media.