In Courtroom First, AI Revives Voice Of Road Rage Victim - 1

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In Courtroom First, AI Revives Voice Of Road Rage Victim

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

An AI-generated video allowed a road rage victim to deliver a statement at his killer’s sentencing in an Arizona courtroom.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • The video expressed forgiveness and moved the Arizona judge.
  • The AI video used real images, voice clips, and hand-written script.
  • Experts say AI in court is new and controversial.

A grieving sister used artificial intelligence to bring her murdered brother’s voice and image back to life. Stacey Wales played a video of her brother, Christopher Pelkey—killed in a 2021 road-rage incident—during the May 1 sentencing of his killer, Gabriel Horcasitas.

The AI-generated video showed Pelkey’s face and voice reconstructed from family photos and old recordings. “Just to be clear for everyone seeing this,” the video said, “I am a version of Chris Pelkey re-created through AI.”

It went on to address the man who shot him: “In another life, we probably could have been friends. I believe in forgiveness, and a God who forgives. I always have and I still do.”

The video left many in the courtroom moved. Judge Todd Lang, who handed Horcasitas the maximum sentence of 10 and a half years for manslaughter, praised the impact. “I loved that AI,” Lang said, as reported by The Washington Post . “I feel that that was genuine,” he added.

Stacey wrote the speech herself, aiming to reflect the kind of person her brother was. “What if Chris could make his own impact statement?” she said, as the Post reported. Her husband, Tim, a tech entrepreneur, used AI tools to animate Pelkey’s face and voice.

Experts were divided. While some say it’s a powerful, ethical use of technology, others worry about future misuse. “Are we always going to get fidelity to what the person would’ve wanted?” asked ethics professor Derek Leben, as reported by the BBC .

But for Stacey, it was worth it. “We approached this with ethics and morals,” she said, as reported by the BBC. “Just like a hammer, AI can build or destroy. We chose to build,” she added.

The case marks one of the first uses of AI in U.S. victim impact statements and could shape how technology is used in courtrooms ahead.

Snap Map Hits 400 Million Monthly Active Users - 2

Photo by Oksana Gogu on Unsplash

Snap Map Hits 400 Million Monthly Active Users

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Snap announced this Wednesday that its Snap Map feature has surpassed 400 million active users. In addition to celebrating this milestone, the company revealed plans to introduce a new feature called Promoted Places that will allow brands to interact with and participate in the popular platform experience.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Snap announced that Snap Map has surpassed 400 million active users.
  • The social media platform will introduce Promoted Places, a new feature for companies to interact in the popular platform experience.
  • The popular feature has been replicated by competitors such as Instagram.

According to the announcement , Snap Map connects users in real time and offers more capabilities than traditional digital maps that only show routes from one destination to another. The feature’s original characteristics—such as location-based snaps, and interactive heat maps—have resonated with Snapchatters, enabling them to stay informed and discover new places.

“Every month, more than 400 million Snapchatters open the Map to make plans, explore local hotspots and stay informed about what’s happening around them,” the statement reads.

The social media company also introduced Promoted Places, a feature that enables businesses to join the community and engage directly with users.

“We’ve built new ways for brands to be part of the Snap Map journey too,” wrote the company. “With Snapchat’s Promoted Places, businesses can show up where Snapchatters are already exploring — making it easier than ever to drive IRL visits, discover new customers, or just show up in the moments that matter.”

According to TechCrunch , Snap Map was launched in 2017 to allow users to see their friends’ live locations and has evolved with more capabilities and options.

“Snap Map is one of the most used mobile maps in the world, and we’re thrilled to see our community continue to grow,” said Ceci Mourkogiannis, VP of Product at Snap, in a statement to TechCrunch. “The Snap Map is helping hundreds of millions connect with friends and their favorite places and discover what’s happening around them, making the world feel more connected every day.”

The success of the feature among younger generations has made competitors add similar functionalities. Last year, Instagram developed and started to roll out “Friend Map,”