A family created an artificial intelligence (AI) avatar of a man killed in a 2021 road-rage incident. They used it in Maricopa County Superior Court on May 1, Reuters reports.
The avatar spoke to the killer. The avatar said, "It is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances." It added, "In another life, we probably could have been friends." The victim, a U.S. Army veteran, was 37 when he died. The avatar wore a green sweatshirt and had a long beard. Its voice and mouth movements were not perfect, showing it was AI-generated. The victim’s sister wrote the script for the video. She wanted to show her brother’s kind nature.
Legal concerns arise
The victim’s sister struggled to express her grief in her own words. She knew her brother would forgive the killer, but she could not. She worked with her husband and a friend in tech to make the avatar. They used generative AI to create the video from existing data. The court allowed the video during sentencing, as it was not evidence. The killer received 10.5 years in prison for manslaughter and endangerment charges. The judge, appreciated the video. This was a new use of AI in the U.S. legal system. Courts usually have strict rules about information presented. Some lawyers faced trouble for using AI to create fake cases in legal documents.
There are concerns about this technology. Generative AI in court can play on emotions of judges and juries. The content is a simulation, not real evidence that courts normally use. These simulations are so realistic they bypass our doubts and appeal directly to feelings. This case shows how AI can bring a victim’s voice to court. However, it also highlights risks of using such tools in legal settings. The balance between technology and fair justice remains a challenge for the future.