The parents of Joaquin Oliver\u2014one of the 17 students killed in the 2018 Parkland shooting\u2014have created an AI-generated avatar of their son to speak about gun violence prevention. On what would have been his 25th birthday, former CNN journalist Jim Acosta hosted a remote \u201cinterview\u201d with the AI Joaquin on his Substack platform. The avatar, programmed from Joaquin\u2019s voice, writings, and likeness, delivered statements calling for stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and more community engagement .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the Oliver family embraced the project as a heartfelt tribute and a way to keep Joaquin\u2019s message alive, it prompted sharp ethical criticism. Viewers described the interview as \u201ccreepy,\u201d \u201cghoulish,\u201d and unsettling. Critics argued that survivors of gun violence could have shared more authentic perspectives, while supporters countered that the AI served as a powerful symbol of remembrance and activism <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This story is also featured in: <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The parents of Joaquin Oliver\u2014one of the 17 students killed in the 2018 Parkland shooting\u2014have created an AI-generated avatar of their son to speak about gun violence prevention. On what would have been his 25th birthday, former CNN journalist Jim Acosta hosted a remote \u201cinterview\u201d with the AI Joaquin on his Substack platform. The avatar,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":10512,"template":"","news_cat":[51],"class_list":["post-10511","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news_cat-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/strong>New York Post: Jim Acosta \u2018interviews\u2019 AI-generated avatar of deceased teenager promoting gun control message<\/a>
The Guardian: Jim Acosta interviews \u2018made-up\u2019 AI avatar of Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n