Former CNN host Jim Acosta is facing heavy backlash after conducting what he described as a "one of a kind interview"—not with a living person, but with an AI-generated recreation of Joaquin Oliver, a victim of the 2018 Parkland school shooting. Shared on social media Monday, the segment featured Acosta speaking with a digital version of Oliver, who would have turned 25 this year. According to Acosta, Oliver’s parents developed the AI to share a message on gun violence, and invited him to be the first journalist to interview their son’s recreation. During the conversation, Acosta asked the AI, “What happened to you?” to which the digital likeness replied with a pre-programmed statement about being a victim of gun violence and the importance of dialogue on safety.

The video showed Oliver’s photograph digitally altered to appear as though he was speaking, prompting outrage across social media. Critics blasted the segment as emotionally manipulative and morally disturbing, calling it a bizarre and unsettling use of artificial intelligence. Federalist co-founder Sean Davis criticized the interview as "demonic madness," pointing out the scripted nature of the AI chatbot and accusing Acosta of exploiting the tragedy for political messaging. Many online echoed concerns about the ethical boundaries being crossed, as technology blurs the line between remembrance and manipulation—raising questions not only about media integrity but also about the potential misuse of AI in emotionally charged narratives.

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SOURCE: Post Millennial