AI brings back Parkland deceased teen for Jim Acosta interview

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has reached its pinnacle, bringing back the virtual avatar of Parkland shooting victim, Joaquin Oliver, to conduct a heartfelt interview with Jim Acosta.

Oliver lost his life along with other 16 people in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018.

The video posted on Jim Acosta’s official account on X, has shown the AI avatar of Oliver, wearing a beanie with a solemn expression.

The ex-CNN correspondent started the interview by asking the avatar: “What happened to you?”

Oliver replied in a hurried tone without any pause: “I appreciate your curiosity. I was taken from this world too soon due to gun violence while at school. It’s important to talk about these issues so we can create a safer future for everyone.”

AI reimagining of Oliver

The AI-generated avatar of Oliver was created by his parents, who invited Acosta as a first journalist to interview him. The purpose behind this AI recreation is to bring back the Oliver's voice on gun control to the world as the parents founded the gun control group Change the Ref.

Acosta during the interview told Manuel Oliver, Jaoquin’s father, “I really felt like I was speaking with Joaquin. It is just a beautiful thing.”

The deceased’s father further acknowledged that the AI version of his son cannot be a substitute to Jaoquin, but it was heartfelt to hear his voice again. He further added he is eager to see what more AI can do.

Promoting the message on gun control

In the interview, Acosta asked: “I would like to know what your solution would be for gun violence.”

Oliver’s avatar answered: “Great question. I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and community engagement. We also need to create safe spaces for connections and conversations, making sure everyone feels seen and heard. It is about building a culture of kindness and understanding.”

Stirring the controversy

The first of its kind interview with the AI avatar took the internet by storm. American broadcasters faced online backlash as the users considered it creepy and concerning.

One commentator wrote on X, “These are living survivors of school shootings you could interview, and it would really be their words and thoughts instead of completely made-up.”

This is not the first of its kind AI avatar. As AI is advancing at a rapid pace, death has been losing ground in the face of digital immortality.