Jim Acosta interviews AI avatar of deceased Parkland sufferer

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Liberal journalist Jim Acosta "interviewed" the artificially animated avatar of deceased teenager Joaquin Oliver to advertise a gun management message on Monday.

Working with the gun management group Change the Ref, based by Oliver's mother and father, Acosta had dialog on his Substack with an avatar created by the daddy of the son, who was killed within the Parkland highschool capturing in 2018. He would have turned 25 on Monday.

"I wish to know what your resolution can be for gun violence," Acosta requested.

"Nice query. I imagine in a mixture of stronger gun management legal guidelines, psychological well being help, and group engagement. We have to create secure areas for conversations and connections, ensuring everybody feels seen and heard," Oliver's avatar stated. "It is about constructing a tradition of kindness and understanding. What do you consider that?"

Jim Acosta interviews Manuel Oliver on his Substack present on Aug. 4, 2025. (The Jim Acosta Present / Substack)

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"I feel that is an awesome thought, Joaquin," the ex-CNN correspondent stated.

Acosta additionally requested questions like what Oliver's favourite group, motion pictures and TV exhibits have been. The avatar answered and infrequently requested Acosta the query again, generally sounding robotic, generally extremely enthusiastic.

"Star Wars is such an epic saga. The adventures, the characters and that iconic music are unforgettable," Oliver's avatar stated at one level.

As the 2 talked, Acosta's Substack stay chat was suffering from messages commenting on the bizarre scene, with some calling it "creepy," "bizarre," and "unsettling," whereas others discovered it an attention-grabbing and even touching experiment.

The Parkland, Florida highschool capturing in 2018 killed 17 folks, together with 17-year-old Joaquin Oliver. (Sarah Rumpf-Whitten/Fox Information Digital)

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Afterward, Acosta spoke to Oliver's father, Manuel, who thanked him for his participation within the interview. Acosta marveled on the avatar with the ability to have interaction with him, saying he was "speechless" on the know-how and actually felt he was talking with the precise individual.

"I perceive that that is AI," Manuel Oliver stated, saying he wasn't making an attempt to actually deliver his son again. "Sadly, I am unable to. Nevertheless, the know-how is on the market. I can hear his voice once more."

"He is an emblem of one thing that's deeply, deeply flawed with this nation," Acosta later stated, referring to gun violence that is killed youths like Oliver. "Individuals surrender, and I feel one thing like that is perhaps going to present some folks some hope, that we should always hold charging, hold pushing for this."

After the interview, Acosta stated Oliver ought to nonetheless be right here right this moment.

"Sure, I do know that it may be somewhat startling to see one in every of these younger folks, a toddler like Joaquin, come again to us on this vogue, within the type of synthetic intelligence, however please perceive after watching this that this AI experiment is an expression of affection from the Oliver household for his or her son," he stated.

Jim Acosta interviewing Michael Cohen on his Substack present. (Jim Acosta)

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Oliver's likeness had been generated by his father utilizing AI earlier than. One instance was in 2024, when an AI-generated message of his voice was used to name members of Congress to push voting for gun management measures.

"It has been six years, and you have finished nothing, not a factor to cease all of the shootings which have continued to occur since," the message said . "I died that day in Parkland, my physique was destroyed by a weapon of struggle."

Change the Ref did not instantly reply to a request for remark from Fox News Digital .

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Acosta left CNN in January and launched his personal Substack in February. He often interviews progressive friends and stays a harsh critic of Republicans and the Trump administration.