Jim Acosta, a former CNN chief White House correspondent, faced controversy when he conducted an interview with the AI-generated avatar of Joaquin Oliver, one of 17 victims of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school mass shooting. Oliver, who was 17 at the time of his death and would have been 25 on the day of the interview, was captured utilizing generative artificial intelligence and featured in a somber beanie. Acosta asked the avatar about the events of his death, to which Oliver responded in a computer-generated voice, without emotional expression, referring to the importance of discussing gun violence to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The concept of using AI to interview deceased individuals has garnered mixed reactions. Acosta promoted the interview as “one of a kind” but faced criticism from those advocating for interviewing living survivors of such tragedies. Oliver’s father, Manuel Oliver, who helped create the AI version, expressed that the experience was a blessing, allowing him to hear his son’s voice again. The technology has also been employed in a robocalling campaign known as The Shotline, where AI-generated voices of shooting victims urge action on gun reform legislation. However, the utilization of AI to communicate with digitized avatars of the deceased remains controversial, raises concerns about misinformation, deepfakes, and the blurring of real and synthetic experiences.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/04/jim-acosta-parkland-shooting-victim-ai-interview
