The ex-CNN personality conjured an AI replica of a Parkland shooting victim for an ‘interview’ — what was he thinking?
J im Acosta’s time at CNN saw him wrestling White House interns, reciting poetry in the Brady Room, and taking part in self-indulgent appearances on a late-night talk show.
And yet it turns out the cable network might have served as a moderating influence on the reporter, as his horror show of an “interview” last week seems to suggest.
Acosta, who uploads videos now from his living room, drew a visceral reaction last week after he released a “one-of-a-kind interview” with an AI chatbot programmed to mimic the look, mannerisms, and sounds of Joaquin Oliver, who was killed at age 17 in the 2018 Parkland High School shooting in Florida.
“A show you don’t want to miss,” Acosta teased.
The chatbot, which the boy’s grieving parents created, is programmed to focus almost exclusively on delivering pro-gun-control talking points, which Acosta dutifully drew out using obvious command prompts.
“What happened to you?” the former CNN reporter asked the digital replica.
“I appreciate your curiosity,” the chatbot responded in an unnervingly monotone voice. “I was taken from this world too soon due to gun violence while at school.”
The robot added, “It’s important to talk about these issues so we can create a safer future for everyone.”
Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time Joaquin, who would have been 25 today, has been “resurrected” to perform acts of advocacy. Joaquin’s parents joined a robocall campaign last year, donating an AI version of their son’s voice for phone calls urging lawmakers to pass stricter gun control laws.
“I’m back today because my parents used AI to recreate my voice to call you,” the robot said in the pre-recorded messages. “How many calls will it take for you to care? How many dead voices will you hear before you finally listen?”
Acosta continued, pressing the electronic representation of a dead teenager to share the entirety of its computerized responses.
“I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws,” the robot said, “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.”
It added, “Though my life was cut short, I want to keep inspiring others to connect and advocate for change.”
In case viewers weren’t sufficiently uncomfortable already, Acosta and the robot then went on to discuss their favorite moments from Remember the Titans and Star Wars.
“I’m kind of speechless as to the technology there,” Acosta gushed later. “It was so insightful. I really felt like I was speaking with Joaquin. It’s just a beautiful thing.”
He added, “What’s amazing about this is that we’ve heard from the parents, we’ve heard from the politicians. Now we’re hearing from one of the kids. That’s important. That hasn’t happened.”
This isn’t journalism. This isn’t even straightforward political advocacy. This is necromancy.
It’s unsettling, it’s tone deaf, it’s self-indulgent — in other words, fitting right in with Acosta’s professional oeuvre. Leave it to Acosta, whose tenure at CNN was marked by an overwhelming sense of self-importance, to exploit new technology and the grief of parents to “scoop” an “interview” that isn’t even a proper news interview.
We saw a lifeless puppet running through a list of preprogrammed outputs, pretending to be a person. A vessel lacking a soul.
And the other one was an AI chatbot.