An Arizona family used AI to recreate a road rage victim’s voice

The family of a man killed in a 2021 road rage incident in Arizona used artificial intelligence to portray the victim delivering his own impact statement during his killer’s sentencing hearing, according to local news reports.

Christopher Pelkey’s sister, brother-in-law, and their friend used AI technology to recreate his likeness, reportedly drawing from video clips recorded while he was alive. It is believed to be one of the first—if not the very first—instances of an AI-generated victim impact statement being used in court.

“To Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me: it is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances,” the artificial 37-year-old said in the video. “In another life, we probably could’ve been friends. I believe in forgiveness and in God who forgives. I always have, and I still do.”

Judge Todd Lang appreciated the video, according to Fox 10 News. Prosecutors requested a 9.5-year sentence for Horcasitas; ABC 15 reported that he was ultimately sentenced to more than a decade for manslaughter.

The team putting together the video reportedly pulled from different tools in order to make it happen.

“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,” Stacey Wales said in an interview with Fox 10.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91329723/an-arizona-family-used-ai-to-recreate-a-road-rage-victims-voice?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

Created 3mo | May 6, 2025, 10:40:04 PM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Why Japan’s 7-Elevens are the hottest new tourist attraction

Forget the Shibuya Crossing or Mount Fuji; tourists in Japan are adding convenience stores to their travel itineraries.

Thanks to

Aug 19, 2025, 11:10:06 AM | Fast company - tech
I tried 10 AI browsers. Here’s why Perplexity’s Comet is the best so far

While AI features have been creeping into pretty much every popular br

Aug 19, 2025, 11:10:05 AM | Fast company - tech
AI assistants are here to shake up (or ruin) your fantasy sports league

The English Premier League, the world’s most popular soccer league, kicks off this weekend to a global TV audience of around one billion peo

Aug 19, 2025, 11:10:04 AM | Fast company - tech
Founder fraud isn’t an outlier: it’s a design flaw

Another month, another founder accused of fraud. This time it’s Christine Hunsicker of CaaStle, indicted on July 18 for allegedly falsifying financial records, misrepresenting profits, and continu

Aug 19, 2025, 11:10:03 AM | Fast company - tech
5 excellent free podcast apps for iOS and Android

I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you’ve been on the internet before. If so, you’ve likely stumbled upon a podcast or two. There are almost 5 million of them out there, after all.

<p

Aug 18, 2025, 11:30:03 PM | Fast company - tech
Philips CEO Jeff DiLullo on how AI is changing healthcare today

AI is quietly reshaping the efficiency, power, and potential of U.S. h

Aug 18, 2025, 9:10:07 PM | Fast company - tech
How satellites and orbiting weapons make space the new battlefield

As Russia held its Victory Day parade this year, hackers backing the Kremlin hijacked an orbiting satel

Aug 18, 2025, 9:10:06 PM | Fast company - tech