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Student recounts losing sister in Parkland
Many of the students who attended Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, where a gunman opened fire in 2018, graduated and went on to attend Florida State University, where another mass shooting took place Thursday. Alyssa Alhadeff was among the students killed on that day in Parkland, Fla. and now her brother, Robbie, is a student at FSU. He spoke with LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow about what happened.
LOS ANGELES - Former CNN correspondent Jim Acosta shared a new video Monday in which he interviews an artificial intelligence-generated version of Joaquin Oliver, one of the 17 people killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
The avatar, animated from a real photograph using generative AI, appears wearing a beanie and speaks in a monotone digital voice. The segment opens with Acosta asking, "What happened to you?" to which the AI version of Oliver responds, "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 movements of the avatar’s face are slightly jerky and the pacing of the narration computerized. Still, Acosta described the interaction as powerful and called it "a one of a kind interview" in his social media promotion of the episode.
Why did Acosta interview an AI version of Joaquin Oliver?
The backstory:
Joaquin Oliver was 17 years old when he was killed in the hallway of his high school on Valentine’s Day. According to the project Since Parkland, Oliver loved writing and brought flowers to school that day for his girlfriend. He would have turned 25 this week.
The AI recreation was developed by Oliver’s parents, who invited Acosta to be the first journalist to interview it. Acosta spoke with Joaquin’s father, Manuel Oliver, during the video and told him, "I really felt like I was speaking with Joaquin. It’s just a beautiful thing."
Former CNN correspondent Jim Acosta is seen in Washington, D.C. Acosta recently published a video interview featuring an AI-generated avatar of Parkland shooting victim Joaquin Oliver. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Manuel Oliver acknowledged that the technology can’t bring back his son but said it was a blessing to hear his voice again. He also said he looks forward to seeing how AI can be used further in the future.
Acosta left CNN in January and now describes himself as an independent journalist, publishing content through his Substack blog and social channels.
What they're saying:
The use of AI to recreate deceased individuals has prompted wide-ranging discussion around both ethics and innovation. While some critics online questioned the choice to simulate the voice and likeness of a real shooting victim, others viewed it as a meaningful tool for advocacy.
Acosta stated in the segment that the project was initiated by Joaquin’s parents, and that his intention was to help tell the story of a young person whose life was cut short by gun violence.
In response to the video, one user on the social platform Bluesky wrote: "There are living survivors of school shootings you could interview, and it would really be their words and thoughts instead of completely made-up."
Comments have been disabled on a teaser for the video shared on X.
The technology used in the segment reflects growing interest in AI avatars and digital memorialization, but it also surfaces questions about consent, authenticity, and emotional impact.
Where else has AI been used to recreate Parkland victims?
This isn’t the first time Joaquin Oliver’s voice has been re-created using artificial intelligence. In 2024, his parents were part of a project called The Shotline, which used AI-generated voices of six victims—including Oliver—to place robocalls to members of Congress urging action on gun reform.
One of the calls featured Oliver’s AI voice saying: "I’m back today because my parents used AI to recreate my voice to call you. How many calls will it take for you to care? How many dead voices will you hear before you finally listen?"
AI recreations have also been used in courtrooms. In one 2024 case, an AI avatar of a road rage victim was played during a sentencing hearing in Arizona. The video featured the recreated victim delivering an impact statement to the defendant, ending with a message of forgiveness. The presiding judge praised the moment, saying, "I loved that AI, thank you for that… I feel that that was genuine."
What's next:
As generative AI tools continue to evolve, so too does their role in grief, memory, and advocacy. The technology remains imperfect—often producing robotic speech or unnatural visuals—but its emotional resonance is pushing families, lawyers, and journalists to explore new possibilities.
At the same time, experts continue to warn that the rise of AI avatars opens the door to misinformation, identity misuse, and blurred lines between real and simulated experiences. Ongoing discussions in both the tech and ethics communities are likely to shape future use of the technology in memorials, media, and beyond.
The Source: This report is based on a video interview posted by Jim Acosta on social media, in which he spoke with an AI-generated avatar of Parkland shooting victim Joaquin Oliver. Additional context and reactions were reported by FOX News, which covered the interview and its use of AI to promote conversations around gun violence.