Overview

• On August 4, Jim Acosta published a video on his Substack interviewing an AI-generated avatar of Joaquin Oliver created by Change the Ref and his parents to promote gun control.
• The avatar, trained on Oliver’s writings and audio, urged stronger gun laws, expanded mental health support and community engagement to curb violence.
• Social media users and journalists labeled the segment “grotesque,” “ghoulish” and “unsettling,” raising concerns about consent and the emotional impact of simulating the dead.
• Manuel and Patricia Oliver defended the project as a loving tribute that extends their son’s voice, announcing plans for additional AI-driven videos and public appearances.
• Digital ethics experts and lawmakers have seized on the backlash to demand clear consent, transparency and respectful usage rules for AI recreations of deceased individuals.