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17h ago

AI Remembrances of Charlie Kirk Move From Social Media to Church Pulpits

A viral AI voice clone now features in church services, underscoring how generative tools are reshaping grief and memory.

Left: Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk at the Republican National Convention. Right: Standing ovation in a Texas megachurch in response to Charlie Kirk AI generated sermon.
© Screengrab via Prestonwood Baptist Church/YouTube

Overview

  • Prestonwood Baptist in Texas played the clip to a standing ovation, with Dream City Church in Arizona and Awaken Church in California also running it after pastors noted it was artificial.
  • The 51-second audio appears to have first been posted on TikTok by user NioScript a day after the killing and has drawn millions of listens as supporters film reactions.
  • Social feeds have filled with AI images and videos placing Kirk in overtly Christian scenes or pairing him with U.S. icons, alongside content pushing causes he championed.
  • Former colleague Andrew Kolvet shared an apparent AI image likening Kirk to assassinated figures and Jesus, prompting public pushback including a rebuke from Bernice King.
  • Researchers describe potential comfort from “griefbots” but warn of manipulation and false memories, citing reporting on a Nature review and an MIT Media Lab study.