Is it appropriate for artificial intelligence to speak on behalf of deceased individuals?
Thats what
KNXV-TV
It was reported last month during the trial of Gabriel Horcasitas, who was found guilty of manslaughter due to a road rage incident in Chandler.
Arizona
where he shot and murdered Chris Pelkey in 2021.
Stacey Wales – Pelkey’s sibling – employed artificial intelligence to deliver a victim impact statement during the trial. Her spouse Tim and her acquaintance Scott Yentzer had extensive experience in AI. Stacey mentioned that the procedure was quite challenging.
“There’s no tool out there that you can just go and say, here’s a voice file. Here’s a picture. Please make it come to life. And this is what I wanted to say. So they’re scrounging and using this tool and that tool and this tool and this script and this audio and this image and trying to mash it all together and make a Frankenstein of love,” she said, according to
KSAZ-TV
.
“To Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me, it is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances. In another life, we probably could have been friends,” the AI avatar said.
The artificial intelligence informed the audience
court
I am an iteration of Chris Pelkey brought to life via artificial intelligence, utilizing my image and vocal characteristics.
It proceeded to express gratitude to the attendees at the courthouse and mentioned feeling “humbled” by those who spoke in support of Pelkey.
It even addressed the judge, Todd Lang, thanking him for his persistence in presiding over the case and listening to every impact statement.
Lang, who clearly felt moved by the video, said in court, “I love that AI. Thank you for that. I felt like that was genuine; that his obvious forgiveness of Mr. Horcasitas reflects the character I heard about today.”
The AI video was shown on the day of Horcasitas’ sentencing as Wales thought
testimony
Through letters from Pelkey’s friends and family members, one couldn’t convey intimate details about who her brother truly was.
“We got 49 letters that the judge managed to go through prior to entering the courtroom for the sentencing. However, something crucial was absent. One perspective was notably lacking from those correspondences,” Wales stated regarding the verdict.
KNXV-TV states that there is no other documented instance of using AI for a victim impact statement.
Following his conviction for manslaughter, Horcasitas received a sentence of ten and a half years in prison, which is somewhat longer than the nine and a half years the prosecution had sought.
The main obvious issue here – this
is not
Pelkey.
Even though the video seems sincere and genuinely recreates Pelkey according to reports, it remains merely that, a reconstruction.
recreation
.
Pelkey had no input in this matter since he had already moved past that day.
We have no clue what his reaction or thoughts might be afterward. Despite the AI clearly stating it isn’t Pelkey, it continues to communicate using the first-person perspective.
The Associated Press
This is a lawful method for a victim to submit an impact statement in Arizona without serving as evidence.
Horcasitas lawyer, Jason Lamm told the AP he appealed his client’s sentence, seeing the likelihood that an
appeals court
will consider if the AI influenced how Lang handed down the sentence.
AI now permeates every aspect of our lives from education to art and culture. Its use in our judicial system poses serious risks if Lamm is right.