A New Era of Justice: AI Revives Victim’s Voice in Courtroom
In a groundbreaking move, a woman has used artificial intelligence to bring her late brother’s voice to a courtroom, marking the first time AI has been used in this way. Stacey Wales created a video of her brother, Christopher Pelkey, to address the sentencing hearing of the man who killed him in a road rage incident in Arizona. This innovative use of AI has sparked a new wave of digital resurrection projects, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the pursuit of justice.
Christopher Pelkey, a 37-year-old veteran who served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army, was tragically killed in the incident. His sister, Stacey, wanted to ensure his voice was heard in the courtroom, and after two years of trying to craft a victim impact statement, she had an epiphany. "He doesn’t get a say. He doesn’t get a chance to speak," Wales told NPR. "We can’t let that happen. We have to give him a voice." Using AI, Wales created a video of her brother in just a few days, which was then played in the courtroom.
The AI video began with a message from Pelkey, saying, "Hello. Just to be clear for everyone seeing this, I’m a version of Chris Pelkey recreated through AI that uses my picture and my voice profile." He went on to thank everyone in his life and even expressed a sense of forgiveness towards his shooter, saying they "could have been friends" in "another life." The video ended with a poignant message: "Well, I’m gonna go fishing now. Love you all. See you on the other side."
The judge, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Todd Lang, was moved by the AI video, saying, "I loved that AI. Thank you for that." He subsequently gave the shooter, Gabriel Paul Horcasitas, the maximum sentence of just over a decade in prison for manslaughter. This case highlights the potential of AI to revolutionize the way we approach justice and give a voice to those who can no longer speak for themselves.
The use of AI in this case is part of a growing trend of digital resurrection projects, which have been gaining popularity over the past two years. These projects use AI to bring back the likeness of people who have died, allowing their voices to be heard and their stories to be told. As AI technology continues to advance, we can expect to see more innovative applications of this technology in the pursuit of justice and beyond.
