A particular interview that created controversy. On August 4, the former head correspondent of the White House for CNN published a new video for his program, The Jim Acosta Show. In the first minutes, the one that became an independent journalist exchanges with a young man named Joaquin Oliver.
Except that it is not really a matter of Joaquín Oliver, but an artificial intelligence. The young man is one of the victims of shooting at Parkland High School in Florida, which occurred in 2018. His parents created a version of AI to “deliver a powerful message about armed violence,” as Jim Acosta indicates.
This was generated from a real photo of Joaquín Oliver, who would have celebrated his 25th anniversary on August 4. The video shows it with a quite serious hat and air. The AI either has emotion when he speaks, and the movements of his face and mouth are not natural.
An AI that lacks naturalness
The AI version of Joaquin Oliver also changes its tone according to the questions, being cold at certain times and more playful for others. But without changes in terms of its facial expression. “I appreciate your curiosity,” Joaquín Oliver replied in a monocral tone when Jim Acosta asks him what happened to him.
The young man was happier when the journalist asked him to talk about him. “I appreciate my family and friends and always try to spread the joy wherever I go. Even if my life has been shortened, I want to continue inspiring others, to campaign for change,” he said.
Many criticisms
This exchange, which lasted a little more than five minutes, impressed Jim Acosta. “I must say that I am a little speechless in front of technology (…) I really felt that I was talking to Joaquín. He is magnificent,” said the victim’s father, Manuel Oliver.
However, the former CNN correspondent has suffered many criticism for this interview. “Creating a video of a dead child is really one of the horrors created by the man who goes beyond human understanding,” said a user on YouTube.
For his part, Manuel Oliver, who proposed that Jim Acosta be the first journalist to interview his son’s version, said he was not really his son and that he could not bring him back. He believes, however, that it is a blessing to hear his voice again, and added that he was eager to see what Ai could still do.
This is not the first time that AI is used to bring the victims of the shooting back in the park, as the Guardian recalls. The parents of several victims had already launched an automated call campaign with the votes of six students and staff members killed during the shooting last year. The objective with these voices generated by AI was to call the members of Congress to demand measures on the reform of firearms control. And Joaquin Oliver was one of those voices.
Source: BFM TV
