Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta received blowback on Monday over an interview he conducted using an artificial intelligence-generated likeness of a teen killed in the 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida.
Acosta, who has been an independent journalist since leaving CNN earlier this year, interviewed an AI likeness of Joaquin Oliver created by the gun control group Change the Ref, founded by Oliver&#8217;s parents. The host teased the interview in a clip posted on social media.
“I’ll be having a one of a kind interview with Joaquin Oliver. He died in the Parkland school shooting in 2018. But his parents have created an AI version of their son to deliver a powerful message on gun violence,” said Acosta in a post on X.
He included a snippet of the interview in which he asked the AI-generated Oliver, “What your solution would be for gun violence?”
“Great question. I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and community engagement,” the AI emitted in response. “We need to create safe spaces for conversations and connections, making sure everyone feels seen and heard. It&#8217;s about building a culture of kindness and understanding. What do you think about that?”
Acosta responded: “I think that&#8217;s a great idea, Joaquin.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A show you don’t want to miss at 4p ET / 1p PT. I’ll be having a one of a kind interview with Joaquin Oliver. He died in the Parkland school shooting in 2018. But his parents have created an AI version of their son to deliver a powerful message on gun violence. Plus Texas State… <a href="https://t.co/mbdM2WxwUR">pic.twitter.com/mbdM2WxwUR</a>
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acosta/status/1952459273881190572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
Acosta’s use of an AI version of a school shooting victim to push a political agenda received stiff pushback online.
&#8220;Just The News&#8221; Chief Investigative Correspondent Jerry Dunleavy <a href="https://x.com/JerryDunleavy/status/1952491669162491994">called</a> the interview “deranged &amp; ghoulish.”
Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross <a href="https://x.com/ChuckRossDC/status/1952475717209321948">pointed</a> out: “This is the kind of journalism that Jim Acosta is doing without the guardrails of CNN.”
“This is one of the most unhinged and grotesque things I’ve ever seen. It’s also completely in keeping with who Acosta is,” National Review senior writer Charles C.W. Cooke <a href="https://x.com/charlescwcooke/status/1952506911535902953">said</a>.
The Dispatch Editor-In-Chief Jonah Goldberg <a href="https://x.com/JonahDispatch/status/1952500970346238299">called</a> the interview “Profoundly gross.”
The pushback against Acosta’s &#8220;interview&#8221; bled over onto BlueSky, as well. BlueSky is known as a social media hive for leftists who quit X in opposition to Elon Musk’s takeover. Replies on the site were rife with disgust.
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Jim Acosta Ripped For Bizarre Gun Control Inverview With AI Replica Of Parkland Victim

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Jim Acosta Ripped For Bizarre Gun Control Inverview With AI Replica Of Parkland Victim