AI-Generated Interview with Parkland Victim Sparks Controversy and Ethical Debate

The Disturbing AI Interview That Has Everyone Fuming

It was billed as a "one-of-a-kind interview," but it may be remembered as a new low for journalism. Jim Acosta, the former CNN anchor turned Substack host, has ignited a firestorm of controversy by conducting what may be one of the most unsettling interviews of the AI era: a televised conversation with an AI-generated version of Joaquin Oliver, the 17-year-old who was killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The interview aired at the request of Joaquin’s parents, who created the AI version of their son to keep his memory alive and to amplify his message about gun violence. But many viewersâ€"across the political spectrumâ€"are calling it exploitative, emotionally manipulative, and a dangerous precedent. Acosta teased the segment on X (formerly Twitter) on August 4: “A show you don’t want to miss at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. I’ll be having a one-of-a-kind interview with Joaquin Oliver. He died in the Parkland school shooting in 2018. But his parents have created an AI version of their son to deliver a powerful message on gun violence.†In the clip, Acosta asks the AI avatar of Joaquin: “Joaquin, I’d like to know what your solution would be for gun violence?†The AI responds: “Great question! I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and community engagement. We need to create safe spaces for conversations and connections, making sure everyone feels seen and heard. It’s about building a culture of kindness and understanding.†Then, in a startling role reversal, the avatar asks Acosta: “What do you think about that?†Acosta replies: “I think that’s a great idea.†The promo tweet has racked up nearly 4 million views. But it also sparked a torrent of criticism, with users accusing Acosta of crossing a line, by using the likeness of a deceased child to push a political agenda. “Jim Acosta hits a new low... Interview an AI version of a dead kid in order to push gun control!!!†one user wrote. “WTF? This is beyond sick,†said another. “This is one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen in my life,†another commented. “Unreal and mind-blowing.†Some of the most biting criticism came from within the media industry itself. Journalist Glenn Greenwald wrote: “It’s telling that what Jim Acosta didâ€"using AI to revive a deceased teenager and then 'interview' him to echo Acosta’s own politicsâ€"produced cross-ideological revulsion. Concerns about AI superseding humanity, sleazy media exploitation, the ability to create fake videos, etc.†To stem the backlash, Acosta disabled replies on the tweet. The heart of the backlash is trust, ethics, and the dangerous precedent of using AI to speak on behalf of the dead. Critics argue that this opens the door to unprecedented manipulation: Could a political group create AI avatars of fetuses to argue against abortion? Could companies use AI to generate posthumous endorsements from celebrities? Could we soon see AI-generated “interviews†with dead soldiers, victims, or civil rights leaders? These questions cut to the core of how society will grapple with the use of generative AI in media and advocacy. In response to the outrage, Acosta defended himself by pointing out that the idea came directly from the boy’s parents, Manuel and Patricia Oliver. “Joaquin, known as Guac, should be 25 years old today,†Acosta posted in a follow-up tweet. “His father approached me to do the storyâ€| to keep the memory of his son alive.†He linked to a video in which Manuel Oliver explains: “Hello, everyone. This is Manuel Oliver. I am Joaquin Oliver’s father,†he began. “Today, he should be turning 25 years old, and my wife, Patricia, and myself, we asked our friend Jim Acosta to do an interview with our son, because now, thanks to AI, we can bring him back. It was our idea.†He continued, his voice heavy with emotion: “We feel that Joaquin has a lot of things to say, and as long as we have an option that allows us to bring that to you and to everyone, we will use it.†Acosta then urged viewers to watch the father’s video, suggesting that the context matters, and that the parents’ wishes should be respected. Regardless of the intent, the interview has sparked a culture-wide reckoning. For some, it’s a touching use of technology to keep a loved one’s memory alive. For others, it’s a deeply uncomfortable blurring of reality and simulation, one that risks dehumanizing the dead and turning tragedy into algorithmically rendered activism. The question now is whether this will become a new normal, or a moment that forces society to draw a hard line around what AI should never do.

Jim Acosta sparks fury with 'interview' of dead Parkland teen's AI avatar

Journalist Jim Acosta in Washington in April. (Stewart Cook/UTA/Getty Images) The independent journalist Jim Acosta sparked an intense backlash this week with what he called a "one of a kind interview": A video of him talking with an AI-generated avatar modeled on Joaquin Oliver, a teenager killed in the Parkland high school shooting in 2018. The video, which the former CNN White House correspondent posted Monday to his Substack newsletter, began with Acosta making small talk about LeBron James and "Star Wars" with the late teenager's AI duplicate, which Oliver's father created to bring attention to gun violence. Trained on an old photo and audio recordings of Oliver, the AI avatar used a chatbot to generate answers and delivered them in what sounded like his voice. During Acosta's conversation with the computer program, he celebrated it as "so insightful" and a "beautiful thing," saying, "I really felt like I was speaking with Joaquin." But the AI avatar offered awkward remarks ("Yoda's wisdom and quirky personality bring so much fun to the series") and repeatedly asked Acosta questions back, such as "Who inspires you to be a hero in your own life?" The video was panned online as "extremely unsettling" and "ghoulish," with many people citing concerns that such technology could be used to create beliefs the person may not have supported and to tarnish the memory of the dead. "This sort of interview style can't possibly represent what that child wants to say in any reasonable way," said Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley who specializes in digital forensics. "There are plenty of opportunities to talk to real victims and have a serious conversation about this epidemic that's happening in our country without resorting to this sort of stunt." Acosta, who did not respond to requests for comment, shut down responses to his post on X promoting the video and wrote late Monday that the boy's "father approached me to do the story ... to keep the memory of his son alive." Acosta also pointed followers to a video from Oliver's father, Manuel Oliver, defending Acosta, whom he called a friend. "We feel Joaquin has a lot of things to say, and as long as we have an option that allows us to bring that to you and to everyone, we will use it," Manuel Oliver said. "If the problem you have is with the AI, then you have the wrong problem. The real problem is that my son was shot." Oliver was one of 17 killed -- 14 students and 3 staff members -- in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. In the years since, Oliver and his wife, Patricia, who co-founded the group Change the Ref, have used traditional protests and technological showpieces to advocate for gun-safety reforms. One project unveiled last year, The Shotline, allows people to send messages using AI-generated voices of six shooting victims, including Oliver, to members of Congress. But users online said this week's display was distasteful, particularly because Acosta had portrayed the AI chat as an "interview." "You're talking to the simulacrum of a dead person," one user said on Bluesky. "You're facilitating a grotesque puppet show, using [a] grieving parent's heartbreak for a bit," wrote another. The video adds to the growing list of AI resurrections done for political or legal advocacy. In May, the family of an Arizona man killed in a road-rage incident used AI to recreate him in a video addressing his killer in court. The judge said he "loved that AI," remarking that it felt "genuine," and sentenced his killer to the maximum for criminal manslaughter, or roughly 10 years in prison. Such uses have also found their way into entertainment. On Saturday, an attendee at a Rod Stewart concert posted an AI video broadcast on screen during the singer's "Forever Young" showing the recently departed Ozzy Osbourne smiling widely in heaven with other dead musicians, including Prince and Tupac Shakur. "He's got a selfie stick," one person could be heard saying of the Osbourne image, in seeming disgust. The concert attendee captioned the video, calling it "the craziest, most disrespectful [thing] I ever saw in my LIFE!!!" Will Oremus contributed to this report.

Jim Acosta interviews 'made-up' AI avatar of Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver

Artificially generated video of Oliver, one of 17 victims of the shooting, addresses Acosta in 'one of a kind interview' Jim Acosta, former chief White House correspondent for CNN, stirred controversy on Monday when he sat for a conversation with a reanimated version of a person who died more than seven years ago. His guest was an avatar of Joaquin Oliver, one of the 17 people killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018. The video shows Oliver, captured via a real photograph and animated with generative artificial intelligence, wearing a beanie with a solemn expression. Acosta asks the avatar: "What happened to you?" "I appreciate your curiosity," Oliver answers in hurried monotone without inflection or pauses for punctuation. "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." The avatar's narration is stilted and computerized. The movements of its face and mouth are jerky and unnatural, looking more like a dub-over than an actual person talking. Oliver was 17 years old when he was shot and killed in the hallway of Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school. According to Since Parkland, a reporting project about the victims of the shooting, the teenager loved writing and came to school that day, Valentine's Day, with flowers for his girlfriend. He would have been 25 on Monday. Acosta had teased the interview on social media saying it would be a "show you don't want to miss" and a "one of a kind interview". The former correspondent now describes himself as an independent journalist and posts content on a Substack blog after parting ways with CNN in January. The former CNN anchor quickly faced criticism online in response to the stunt. One of the many angry users on the social media platform Bluesky posted: "There are living survivors of school shootings you could interview, and it would really be their words and thoughts instead of completely made-up." Acosta said in the video segment that Oliver's parents created the AI version of their son and his father, Manuel Oliver, invited him to be the first reporter to interview the avatar. Acosta also spoke to Manuel Oliver in the video, telling him: "I really felt like I was speaking with Joaquin. It's just a beautiful thing." The victim's father said he understood this was an AI version of his son and that he can't bring him back, but it was a blessing to hear his voice again. He said he's looking forward to seeing what more AI can do. Acosta's conversation is not the first time AI has been used to bring back the victims of Parkland. Last year, parents of several victims launched a robocalling campaign called The Shotline with the voices of six students and staff who were killed in the mass shooting. The idea was to use the AI voices to call members of Congress and demand action on gun reform. Oliver was one of the victims in that project too. "I'm back today because my parents used AI to recreate my voice to call you," Oliver's message said. "How many calls will it take for you to care? How many dead voices will you hear before you finally listen?" The use of AI to speak with recreations of the dead is still a work in progress with imperfect movements and voices, one that comes steeped in ethical controversy. Critics say creating digitized computer avatars of real people and allowing them to stand in for the deceased opens the door for misinformation, deepfakes, fraud and scams, making it hard for people to distinguish between what is real or not. Others have likewise used AI avatars to simulate the speech of victims of crimes. In May, an AI version of a man who was killed in a road rage incident in Arizona appeared in a court hearing. Lawyers played an AI video of the victim addressing his alleged killer in an impact statement. "I believe in forgiveness, and a God who forgives. I always have and I still do," the victim's avatar said. The presiding judge responded favorably. "I loved that AI, thank you for that. As angry as you are, as justifiably angry as the family is, I heard the forgiveness," he said. "I feel that that was genuine."

Parents of Parkland shooting victim use AI to "bring him back"

Why it matters: Joaquin's parents are using AI to give their son a new voice, which they plan to use in their yearslong campaign against gun violence. In an interview Monday on "The Jim Acosta Show," an AI rendering of Joaquin's face advocated for "stronger gun control laws, mental health support and community engagement." * "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." What they're saying: Joaquin's father, Manuel Oliver, told Acosta that the "AI Joaquin" uses the 17-year-old's voice and his past social media posts and other writings to mimic his personality. * The AI clone is also trained on "knowledge that is out there through artificial intelligence," Oliver added. What's next: Oliver, who co-founded the gun violence advocacy organization Change the Ref with his wife Patricia, said on the show that they want AI Joaquin to have his own social media presence and eventually address audiences in person. * "Now Joaquin is going to start having followers. It's not Manny, it's not Patricia. He's going to start uploading videos." * "Moving forward, we will have Joaquin on stage in the middle of a debate." On a personal level, Oliver said he and his wife cherish being able to hear Joaquin's voice again. * "Patricia will spend hours asking questions. Like any other mother, she loves to hear Joaquin say, 'I love you, Mami.'" Yes, but: Oliver added, "I understand that this is AI. I don't want anyone to think that I am in some way trying to bring my son back. Sadly, I can't." Friction point: A Washington Post story said the interview sparked an "intense backlash" online, as critics took issue with using AI to reanimate the dead. * "This sort of interview style can't possibly represent what that child wants to say in any reasonable way," Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who specializes in digital forensics, told the Post. * "There are plenty of opportunities to talk to real victims and have a serious conversation about this epidemic that's happening in our country without resorting to this sort of stunt." This isn't the first time the Olivers have backed the use of AI to send a political message using Joaquin's likeness. * In a 2020 video promoting voter registration efforts, an AI version of Joaquin talks about not being able to vote in the presidential election and his frustration with the lack of action to prevent more shootings. The other side: Oliver responded to critics in an Instagram video saying Joaquin "has a lot of things to say" and "thanks to AI, we can bring him back."

Public Horrified by Jim Acosta's Latest Stunt

Former CNN anchor and chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta drew near-universal criticism for conducting an astonishingly tone-deaf "interview" with an AI avatar of one of the victims of the 2018 Parkland school shooting. On Monday, Acosta aired a clip of him speaking to the AI, which was reportedly created by his parents, to send a "powerful message on gun violence." "I appreciate your curiosity," the AI avatar of Joaquin Oliver, one of 17 students and staff killed seven years ago in a mass shooting at Miami-area Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, told Acosta in a robotic tone after being asked what had happened to him. "I was taken from this world too soon due to gun violence while at school." Oliver's recreated face appears jerky and misshapen, an awkward representation of the 17-year-old. Instead of sparking a meaningful discussion about the tens of thousands of annual firearms-related deaths and injuries that occur in the US every year, Acosta's interview was met with widespread outrage. "An animated skin put over a computer model and given the same name as the dead son of grieving parents is a cursed golem and a full delusion," tech journalist Kelsey Atherton wrote in a post on Bluesky. "By interviewing the computer model, Acosta has asked us to accept this as true or real. Gun control deserves better." Acosta, who turned down an offer to continue his tenure at CNN in January in favor of launching an independent show, attempted to drum up excitement for the stunt by claiming his chat with the AI was a "one of a kind interview." What the former CNN anchor clearly didn't predict was that his audience was already primed to be wary of tone-deaf uses of AI tech. Observers on Bluesky and X-formerly-Twitter were quick to point out the insensitivity and obliviousness of Acosta's stunt. "This is absolutely deranged," one user wrote. "This isn't an interview, there's nobody on the other end -- you might as well have a conversation with your microwave." "There are several mythological stories on why this precise thing is bad and wrong," another user offered. "This made me uncomfortable," one YouTube account wrote. "'I'm not emotionally ready to deal with this form of AI." "Just passed two years without my Mom, and I can't imagine using AI to make a video or photo that never happened," another added. "It's a really dangerous precedent to set for people who aren't dealing with their grief and giving it more power over them than it should." Another user pointed out that "there are living survivors of school shootings you could interview, and it would really be their words and thoughts instead of completely made up." Acosta's stunt isn't without precedent. We've already come across a family using AI to revive a man who was killed during a road rage incident, as well as a storm of startups that claim to let you converse with deceased loved ones. The parents of the victims of the Parkland shooting also used AI previously. Last year, they tried to convince members of Congress by using deepfaked voices of six deceased students and staff as part of a robocalling campaign. Acosta's interview was set up with the AI avatar by Oliver's father, Manuel Oliver. "I really felt like I was speaking with Joaquin," Acosta told him in the video. "It's just a beautiful thing." But whether those stunts will prove convincing enough to address gun violence, one of the leading cause of death for children and teens in the US, remains dubious at best.

AI Version of Parkland Victim Used in Gun Control Interview Sparks Public Backlash - Decrypt

Critics called the video "unsettling," raising ethical concerns over AI recreations of the deceased in public media. An AI-generated avatar of Joaquin Oliver, a victim of the 2018 Parkland school shooting, appeared in an interview published by former CNN reporter Jim Acosta as part of a digital campaign for gun reform. The segment, created in collaboration with Oliver's parents and advocacy group Change the Ref, drew sharp criticism over the ethics of using AI recreations of the deceased in public media. The video was released on what would have been Joaquin's 25th birthday, Acosta said Monday. In it, Acosta interviewed the AI avatar, which answered questions with responses generated from Joaquin's past writings. His father, Manuel Oliver, appeared alongside the digital recreation and defended its use as part of the family's ongoing advocacy. "I understand that this is AI. I don't want anyone to think that I am, in some way, trying to bring my son back," the father said. " Sadly, I can't, right? I wish I could. However, the technology is out there." Oliver was one of 17 victims killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. It was one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history and led to widespread national debate over gun control laws. In its aftermath, student survivors launched the March for Our Lives movement, which pushed for stricter gun regulations. Critics across social media platforms described the interview as "insane" and "unsettling," with commenters raising concerns about consent, emotional impact, and the potential for misrepresenting the deceased. Still, some responses expressed sympathy, even among those who did not share the family's policy views on gun control, saying they could "100% sympathize with the parents" for trying to preserve their son's memory. "If your child dies for whatever reason, you do all you can to keep their memory alive," one commenter replied on X. Others questioned whether the format crossed ethical boundaries by simulating a conversation with someone who cannot speak for themselves. "You're having a conversation with an advanced word processor," another commenter noted on X. Change the Ref had previously used AI in a 2024 campaign called "The Shotline," which featured recorded messages from victims of gun violence directed at lawmakers, including Oliver's. Those messages were prewritten and delivered using synthesized voices. While that effort also generated debate, some saw it as more restrained than simulating an interactive interview.

Backlash after 'interview' with AI avatar of US school shooting victim

New York (AFP) - Independent journalist Jim Acosta faced a torrent of online criticism Wednesday after he posted an "interview" conducted with an AI avatar of a US school shooting victim. Former CNN White House chief correspondent Acosta interacted with a virtual likeness of Joaquin Oliver, one of the 17 people killed in the Parkland, Florida school shooting in 2018. Acosta, a long-standing hate figure for some supporters of President Donald Trump who often derided the veteran Washington correspondent, has long been an advocate for increased gun control. The clip posted on Acosta's YouTube channel on August 4 to coincide with what would have been Oliver's 25th birthday has gathered more than 22,000 views. On the Guy Benson Show on Fox News, conservative columnist Joe Concha said of the segment "It's just sick." Acosta said that Oliver's parents Manuel and Patricia "have created an AI version of their son to deliver a powerful message on gun violence" after falling victim to one of the deadliest US mass shootings. In the interview Acosta asks Oliver, who was killed aged 17, what happened to him. Despite having the blessing of Oliver's parents, critics said the approach was tasteless and did not advance the campaign against gun violence. "It was more of a bizarre AI demonstration than an interview," wrote columnist Kirsten Fleming in the New York Post tabloid. "It's also false. And grotesque. Like a dystopian plot come to life." In the clip, Oliver's likeness gives opinions on how to counter gun violence. "I was taken from this world too early while at school due to gun violence," says a metallic, sped-up voice synthesized to sound like Oliver's. "It's important to talk about these issues so we can create a safer future for everyone." In an opinion piece published Wednesday, journalism institute Poynter suggested that Acosta's move from major media outlet CNN to an independent operation where he operates without an editorial support mechanism was behind his judgment. "I hope Jim Acosta decides to phone a friend next time. We've all got a lot of figuring out to do," it said. It is not the first time artificial intelligence has been used to highlight the impact of the Parkland shooting. Last year US lawmakers heard recreations of Oliver's voice and those of other victims in AI phone call recordings demanding to know why action had not been taken on gun control. On February 14, 2018, then 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, a town north of Miami, carrying a high-powered AR-15 rifle. He had been expelled from the school a year earlier for disciplinary reasons. In a matter of nine minutes, he killed 14 students and three school employees, then fled by mixing in with people frantically escaping the gruesome scene. Police arrested Cruz shortly thereafter as he walked along the street. He pleaded guilty to the massacre to the massacre in 2021 and was sentenced to life without parole a year later.

Ex-CNN reporter 'interviews' AI avatar of dead Parkland victim. It's just wrong. | Opinion

Grok AI is being used to create porn-like deepfakes of women, including feminist X user Evie. Loss is an intrinsic part of being human. We all have to endure it at some point. One of the hardest things about losing a loved one is that as time goes by, it becomes more difficult to hear their voice or see them fully beyond how they appear in photographs. As artificial intelligence grows increasingly advanced, it has started to promise the allure of "reconnecting" with those who have died. It used to be the fodder of "Black Mirror" episodes. It's now our reality. The ethical implications of bringing someone who has died back to "life" came to the forefront recently when former CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta shocked and appalled many when he "interviewed" the AI avatar of a student killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018. The segment aired Aug. 4 - on what would have been Joaquin Oliver's 25th birthday had he not been murdered that day, along with 16 other victims. Oliver's avatar was created by his parents, who uploaded video, photos and things Oliver had written to fashion this AI presence. Oliver's father, Manuel Oliver, had approached Acosta about doing the "interview." And Acosta agreed. Journalists are supposed to be truth tellers. Acosta's interview crossed multiple lines. I don't fault for a minute Oliver's parents, who are simply finding ways to cope with their grief. They want to keep their son's memory alive in any way they can. They also want to bring some meaning to horror by having their son "speak out" about gun violence. Yet, the intensity of the negative reaction to Acosta's decision to speak to the Olivers' dead son is for good reason. The second I saw a clip of the segment on X, I felt sick. It seemed deeply exploitive and wrong, and as a veteran journalist, Acosta should have known better. The avatar of Oliver, while it "spoke" and asked questions, appeared stilted and robot-like. That didn't stop Acosta from treating the exchange as a real interview, blurring the line between fiction and reality. That's what bothered me most about the exchange. Manuel Oliver talked with Acosta following the taped exchange, and expressed how he hopes his son's avatar will soon be on debate stages. Acosta seemed to agree that would be positive. "We've heard from the parents, we've heard from the politicians," Acosta said to the father of the school shooting victim. "Now we're hearing from one of the kids. That's important. That hasn't happened." The reality is that it still hasn't happened. It never will. AI isn't real news. And the media can't portray it that way. Acosta, who quit his CNN job earlier this year when his show was relegated to late night and now has a Substack, proclaims to his 2 million followers in his X bio to "believe in #realnews." That's hard to square with his disturbing decision. In promoting the show, Acosta teased the segment as "a one of a kind interview" with a shooting victim. Maybe he's trying to stay relevant in his new, independent role, now that he no longer spars so publicly with President Donald Trump. I don't know. But Acosta's "interview" crossed major ethical lines. It's one thing for grieving parents to create a memory of their son. It's another altogether for a journalist to treat the avatar as real. As I've written before, AI is infiltrating into most areas of our lives, including the media industry. And AI will only continue to improve and become more difficult to decipher from reality. Professional journalists shouldn't blur that line. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques

'What The F**k': Jim Acosta Slammed Over 'One Of A Kind' Interview With Dead Parkland Victim

The interview -- shared to Acosta's SubStack page on Monday -- depicts Oliver, one of 17 victims who died in the 2018 massacre, remarking on the cause of death and stressing why it's "important" to talk about gun violence in schools. The AI -- when asked for its "solution" to gun violence -- emphasized a need for a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support and community engagement. The bot of Oliver proceeded to speak in a noticeably higher tone before discussing the late teen's interests in the Miami Heat and "Star Wars." Acosta -- who declared that the technology left him "speechless" -- called the conversation "so insightful," telling the late teen's father Manuel Oliver that it felt like the first time he really got to know his son. "I felt like I was communicating with him which is just so remarkable," Acosta said. "People say, 'Well, AI, you know, it could be bad, it could cause all these destructive things.' This is an example of how it might actually do some good, it might help some people who have suffered tremendous losses like your family have a way to hold on to hold onto who this person was which I think is a beautiful thing." Manuel Oliver and his wife Patricia Oliver -- co-founders of the gun control advocacy group Change the Ref -- have been involved in other projects that demand action against gun violence including a school shooting video game, a play and a site that uses AI to recreate victims' voices for calls to Congress. Manuel Oliver -- in a video shared to X, formerly Twitter -- acknowledged that the AI was his and his wife's idea, adding that Acosta shouldn't be blamed for "what he was able to do" in the "interview." "If the problem that you have is with the AI then you have the wrong problem," he said. "The real problem is that my son was shot eight years ago. So if you believe that that is not the problem, you are part of the problem." While Acosta restricted those who could reply to his posts on X, it wasn't the same case on his BlueSky account where a number of critics were stunned by the AI move. "Hey Jim. Quick question. What the fuck is wrong with you," replied one user. "What I want to know is what the fuck is wrong with the PARENTS?!" another user wrote.

Jim Acosta Just Interviewed an AI Version of a Parkland Victim

The Who's Roger Daltrey Calls Zak Starkey Criticism 'Incredibly Upsetting' The parents of Joaquin Oliver, one of the students killed in the 2018 Parkland high school shooting, have created an AI version of their late son, who partook in an interview with journalist Jim Acosta on Monday, Aug. 4. The interview took place on what would have been Oliver's 25th birthday. The conversation, which aired on Acosta's Substack, found the journalist essentially talking with an animated photo of Oliver with moving lips and other small gestures. Oliver's father, Manuel, said in an interview with Acosta that the AI model was trained on general information, as well as knowledge "based on things that [his son] wrote, he said, he posted." "This is a very legit Joaquin," Manuel said. The beginning of the interview found Acosta asking the AI Oliver questions about gun violence and how to curb it. "I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and community engagement," the AI Oliver said. "We need to create safe spaces for conversations and connections, making everyone feels seen and heard. It's about building a culture of kindness and understanding." The rest of the conversation was more casual, with Acosta speaking with the AI Oliver about basketball and movies like Star Wars and Remember the Titans. Afterward, Acosta spoke with Manuel about his decision to use AI to re-animate his son, and his plans for the project going forward. "I understand that this is AI," Manuel said. "I don't want anyone to think that I am in, some way, trying to bring my son back. Sadly, I can't, right? I wish I could. However, the technology is out there." Manuel said one reason he and his wife, Patricia, created the AI of their son was to hear his voice again. "Patricia will spend hours asking questions," Manuel said. "Like any other mother, she loves to hear Joaquin saying, 'I love you, mommy.' And that's important." The other reason, Manuel said, was to add Oliver's voice to conversations about gun safety. "We can just raise the voices," Manuel said. "Now, Joaquin is going to start having followers... He's going to start uploading videos. This is just the beginning." The full AI version of Oliver debuted one year after artificial intelligence was used to recreate the voices of six victims of gun violence -- including Oliver's -- for a gun control campaign called The Shotline. These AI-generated messages were posted online and also used for direct calls to lawmakers in Washington D.C. Since his son's death, Manuel has been an outspoken gun control advocate. In 2022, he interrupted a speech by then-president Joe Biden on the passage of a modest gun control law, which Manuel criticized for not going far enough to address the problem. The following year, he and Patricia were ejected from a Congressional hearing on the second amendment after exchanging words with lawmakers. Manuel also created and starred in a one-man show about his son that he performed around the country.

AI version of Parkland massacre victim isn't the answer to any of...

On Monday night, former CNN blowhard Jim Acosta interviewed a slain victim of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, massacre. You read that correctly. Acosta, who now has his own Substack and accompanying YouTube channel, spoke with an artificial intelligence avatar of Joaquin Oliver -- one of 17 victims senselessly gunned down by a deranged former classmate at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Joaquin was only 17 when he died. Monday would have been his 25th birthday, surely a difficult day for his loved ones and a moment to lament his stolen future. "Remembering Joaquin: AI Brings Voice to gun Victims" was the title of the episode. A rather strange summation from Acosta, who has made himself into a warrior against so-called disinformation. In reality, it was more of a bizarre AI demonstration than an interview. Acosta asked the computer-generated stand-in about his own "solution for gun violence." "Great question," said the avatar. "I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support and community engagement. We need to create safe spaces for conversations and connections, making sure everyone feels seen and heard. It's about building a culture of kindness and understanding. What do you think about that?' Despite the likeness sounding robotic, Acosta acted like he was having a thoughtful human interaction. He went on to ask "Joaquin" about his favorite movies and sports. "'Star Wars' is such an epic saga. The adventures, the characters and that iconic music are unforgettable," the avatar responded, adding that he also likes the Miami Heat and LeBron James. "Joaquin" ended each answer by tossing an automated-sounding question back to Acosta -- bringing to mind the computer in the 1983 Matthew Broderick movie "War Games." And yet Acosta continued with the unsettling charade. He noted that we've heard politicians' takes on the shooting, but "now we're hearing from one of the kids. That's important." It's also false. And grotesque. Like a dystopian plot come to life. We were hearing not from a victim but an uncanny-valley likeness uploaded with activist talking points and, according to his father, Manny Oliver, some of Joaquin's own writings and social media posts. Acosta was rightly and roundly criticized for "interviewing" an AI avatar. In response to the backlash, the victim's father said, "If the problem you have is with the AI, then you have the wrong problem. The real problem is my son was shot." No one is arguing that last part. The massacre in Parkland was the result of many systemic failures, and a bloody stain on our history. I understand that the Oliver family's grief must be so immense that they'll do anything to keep their son's legacy alive. However, it's not about how Joaquin died, but the decision to resurrect their son as an activist with Acosta aiding and abetting this dangerous delusion. The whole endeavor raises ethical questions and further muddies our already twisted reality. Are we really hurtling toward transhumanism this quickly? Do the dead have any say in how they are used after they leave this Earth? Joaquin's father emphasized that he understood this is indeed AI and that he cannot bring back his son. But, he said, hearing his child's voice brings comfort to him and his wife. No one should deny them that private pursuit of comfort. But he is also hoping his son's AI becomes an influencer. In 2024, Manny Oliver and his gun-control group "Change the Ref" also used his son's voice to send a message to members of Congress, urging them to vote for more gun control measures. "Now Joaquin is gonna start having followers ... He's going to start uploading videos. This is just the beginning," said Manny, adding that "moving forward, we will have Joaquin on stage in the middle of a debate. And knowledge is solid. His knowledge is unlimited." But can a computer really know the thoughts and soul of a human being? Using AI as a vessel isn't going to save the world or stop gun violence. From what I've seen thus far, it will just add more well-meaning but ultimately nonsubstantive sentiments to this contentious subject.

Megyn Kelly slams Jim Acosta's 'sick' interview with AI-generated school shooting victim

The Megyn Kelly Show host Megyn Kelly has labelled former CNN anchor Jim Acosta's latest stunt with an AI-generated school shooting victim as "sick" and "stomach turning". The teen, Joaquin Oliver, who was killed in the Parkland High School shooting in 2018, appeared as an AI avatar on Acosta's show. The interview has been slammed by social media users, with many accusing Acosta of using a deceased teenager to push a message of gun control. "This is so exploitative; I can't believe he has sunk this low," Ms Kelly told Sky News host Paul Murray.

Jim Acosta 'interviews' AI-generated avatar of deceased teenager...

Liberal journalist Jim Acosta "interviewed" the artificially animated avatar of deceased teenager Joaquin Oliver to promote a gun control message on Monday. Working with the gun control group Change the Ref, founded by Oliver's parents, Acosta had a conversation on his Substack with an avatar created by the father of the son, who was killed in the Parkland high school shooting in 2018. He would have turned 25 on Monday. "I would like to know what your solution would be for gun violence," Acosta asked. "Great question. I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and community engagement. We need to create safe spaces for conversations and connections, making sure everyone feels seen and heard," Oliver's avatar said. "It's about building a culture of kindness and understanding. What do you think of that?" "I think that's a great idea, Joaquin," the ex-CNN correspondent said. Acosta also asked questions like what Oliver's favorite team, movies and TV shows were. The avatar answered and often asked Acosta the question back, sometimes sounding robotic, sometimes highly enthusiastic. "Star Wars is such an epic saga. The adventures, the characters and that iconic music are unforgettable," Oliver's avatar said at one point. As the two talked, Acosta's Substack live chat was littered with messages commenting on the unusual scene, with some calling it "creepy," "weird," and "unsettling," while others found it an interesting and even touching experiment. Afterward, Acosta spoke to Oliver's father, Manuel, who thanked him for his participation in the interview. Acosta marveled at the avatar being able to engage with him, saying he was "speechless" at the technology and really felt he was speaking with the actual person. "I understand that this is AI," Manuel Oliver said, saying he wasn't trying to truly bring his son back. "Sadly, I can't. However, the technology is out there. I can hear his voice again." "He's a symbol of something that is deeply, deeply wrong with this country," Acosta later said, referring to gun violence that's killed youths like Oliver. "People give up, and I think something like this is maybe going to give some people some hope, that we should keep charging, keep pushing for this." After the interview, Acosta said Oliver should still be here today. "Yes, I know that it might be a little startling to see one of these young people, a child like Joaquin, come back to us in this fashion, in the form of artificial intelligence, but please understand after watching this that this AI experiment is an expression of love from the Oliver family for their son," he said. Oliver's likeness had been generated by his father using AI before. One example was in 2024, when an AI-generated message of his voice was used to call members of Congress to push voting for gun control measures. "It's been six years, and you've done nothing, not a thing to stop all the shootings that have continued to happen since," the message said. "I died that day in Parkland, my body was destroyed by a weapon of war." Change the Ref didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Acosta left CNN in January and launched his own Substack in February. He regularly interviews progressive guests and remains a harsh critic of Republicans and the Trump administration.

Ex-CNN Host Jim Acosta Faces Criticism for Interview With AI Resurrection of Parkland Victim To Shill for Gun Reform

'I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and community engagement,' the avatar says. Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta scored a bizarre "exclusive" for his Substack newsletter: a sit-down interview with a Parkland shooting victim who was raised from the dead in the form of an AI recreation. The interview with digital resurrection of Joaquin Oliver, which was posted on Mr. Acosta's Substack newsletter has raised eyebrows about journalistic ethics and the lengths some media personalities will go for content in the subscription economy. According to Acosta's remarks during the segment, Joaquin's parents were the ones who started the project, with Acosta's goal being to assist in sharing the narrative of a youth whose life ended prematurely due to firearm violence. He also appeared to use the avatar to push forward a partisan narrative on reforming gun control. "I would like to know what your solution would be for gun violence," Mr. Acosta asked. "Great question. I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and community engagement," Oliver's avatar said. "We need to create safe spaces for conversations and connections, making sure everyone feels seen and heard. It's about building a culture of kindness and understanding. What do you think about that?" "I think that's a great idea, Joaquin," Mr. Acosta said in response. The segment in which the artificial Oliver responded to Mr. Acosta's questions was unsettling for some to watch. The movement of the avatar's lips seemed out of sync with the rest of its facial features, and its speech was often monotone and robotic. The response to the interview with the AI Oliver, which was created by Change The Ref, a gun control advocacy group founded by his parents, has been sharply divided. "Profoundly gross. I can't really blame the parents, but this kind of thing will go nowhere good and @Acosta will (hopefully) regret this one day," columnist Jonah Goldberg said on X. "What on earth is this demonic madness," Sean Davis, co-founder of The Federalist wrote on X. "Acosta got fired from CNN, so now he's 'interviewing' scripted AI chatbot holograms of dead people which are pre-programmed to agree with him. Absolute insanity." Mr. Acosta attempted to preemptively put a positive spin on the backlash while speaking with Joaquin's father, Manuel Oliver. "I felt like I was communicating with him, which is just so remarkable," he said. "People say, 'Well, AI, you know, it could be bad, it could cause all these destructive things.' This is an example of how it might actually do some good, it might help some people who have suffered tremendous losses like your family have a way to hold on to who this person was, which I think is a beautiful thing." In a video posted to X, Joaquin's father defended Mr. Acosta, saying that it was "An AR-15 that store Joaquin's life, not artificial intelligence" and that it the journalist shouldn't blamed for any wrong doing. "If the problem that you have is with the AI, then you have the wrong problem," he said. "The real problem is that my son was shot eight years ago." "So, if you believe that that is not the problem, you are part of the problem."

This Fake AI Interview With A Parkland School Shooting Victim Has The Internet Completely Horrified

"I felt like I was communicating with him, which is just so remarkable," Acosta said. "People say, 'Well, AI, you know, it could be bad, it could cause all these destructive things.' This is an example of how it might actually do some good, it might help some people who have suffered tremendous losses like your family have a way to hold on to who this person was, which I think is a beautiful thing." A show you don't want to miss at 4p ET / 1p PT. I'll be having a one of a kind interview with Joaquin Oliver. He died in the Parkland school shooting in 2018. But his parents have created an AI version of their son to deliver a powerful message on gun violence. Plus Texas State... pic.twitter.com/mbdM2WxwUR -- Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 4, 2025