An AI avatar made to look and sound like the likeness of a man who was killed in a road rage incident addressed the court and the man who killed him: “To Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me, it is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances,” the AI avatar of Christopher Pelkey said. “In another life we probably could have been friends. I believe in forgiveness and a God who forgives. I still do.”

It was the first time the AI avatar of a victim—in this case, a dead man—has ever addressed a court, and it raises many questions about the use of this type of technology in future court proceedings.

The avatar was made by Pelkey’s sister, Stacey Wales. Wales tells 404 Media that her husband, Pelkey’s brother-in-law, recoiled when she told him about the idea. “He told me, ‘Stacey, you’re asking a lot.’”

    • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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      1 day ago

      The sentencing has already happened at that point so no harm is happening to anyone.

      Everyone is acting as if this is going to affect decisions but it isn’t because this is a statement from the abreathed, which is something they are allowed to do in whatever format they wish. I agree it’s kind of weird but it’s definitely not against any rule no matter what the down voters think