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Voice Actors Sue AI Lovo, Alleging Company Stole Their Voices; Italian Teen to Become Catholic Church's First Millennial Saint; Families Sue Manufacturers Over Deadly Osprey Crash; Hurricane Katrina Survivors Graduate High School, Thank Their Hero; Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Have Scheduled Medical Procedure. Aired 3:30-4p ET
Aired May 24, 2024 - 15:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:30:00]
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Boris and Brianna, I should say that Lobo did not respond to our requests for comment, but as we were reminded this week, these two actors are not the only ones concerned about artificial intelligence. Scarlett Johansson accused OpenAI of creating a voice for ChatGPT that resembled hers without her permission, although OpenAI has denied that.
But what's really at the heart of this is that so many actors, artists, authors are concerned about the ways that these AI platforms may have been trained with their work or with something as intrinsic to them as their voice, and then profiting off of that without ever giving the artists compensation or credit.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: That has got to be such an uncanny feeling to hear AI essentially imitating your voice and so closely to what your voice sounds like. Wow, Clare Duffy, thanks so much for bringing us that story.
DUFFY: Thanks.
SANCHEZ: New today, an Italian teenager who used his computer skills to promote the Catholic faith is on his way to becoming the Catholic Church's first millennial saint. Carlo Acutis, who gained the nickname God's Influencer, passed away in 2006 when he was 15, but a second miracle attributed to him has just been recognized by Pope Francis.
KEILAR: Father Edward Beck is with us now to talk a little bit about this new saint soon to be. Tell us more about Carlo, Father Beck, and how he sort of used his skills to spread awareness of Catholicism.
FATHER EDWARD BECK, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST: Well, as you know, and as you said, he's the first millennial to be named a saint, so it's rather modern in modern times, and he was known as God's Influencer. I mean, he had kind of developed computer skills because he liked video games. And then what he did was he began the website to host the website for his parish. And he liked to research Eucharistic miracles throughout the world, and he posted those on the website, including Marian apparitions.
So he was a young man of faith, and yet, you know, he was also a soccer player, and as I said, video game player, and he kind of sounds like a normal kid too, so it's interesting that his faith was so developed at such a young age.
In fact, his mother said that he brought her back to the faith. I mean, she had drifted away from the church, and through seeing her own son, she was influenced by it. Talk about God Influencer. He influenced his own mother to come back to the faith.
So it's rather remarkable that someone so young would have been so devoted and so instrumental, I think.
SANCHEZ: Father, the Pope has now recognized two miracles attributed to Carlo. I'm wondering what qualifies as a miracle, and how do they formally get recognized by the Pope?
BECK: Well, the report is made that someone prayed specifically to Carlo and went to his shrine. There was a Brazilian child, I believe, with pancreatic disease, and he was cured of that after prayers specifically for Carlo to intercede.
And then the second miracle was a Costa Rican girl who had a bicycle accident in Florence, and she had brain trauma. And once again, I believe it was her mother who heard about Carlo and went to his shrine. There's a shrine to him already in Assisi and prayed to him, and they were able to take this girl out of this coma and this brain trauma. Kind of unexplainable. I mean, the doctor said it just kind of -- the damage disappeared after a while.
And so then those things are investigated by the Vatican, and medical sources are interviewed, and then if it is seen to be accurate, they move toward beatification, which is the first step. You need one miracle for beatification, and then once the second miracle is verified, then you can move toward canonization.
And I have to say, though, it's a really quick process for this young man. I mean, John Paul II in our lifetime, you know, is beatified and canonized rather quickly, but he was a pope.
I mean, this young man, as you said, just died in 2006 and was already beatified in 2020, and now maybe sainthood. So it's really a very quick beatification and canonization, which I suppose has positives and negatives, but it's remarkable because I think a lot of young people maybe can identify with him.
I don't know if you've seen the stained glass window, but he's carrying already, there's a stained glass window to him, he's carrying a knapsack and wearing sneakers. You know, when was the last time you saw a teenager saint with a knapsack and sneakers? So again, he's inspirational to many young people, I think.
KEILAR: Yes, so interesting. All right, we'll continue to follow this. Father Beck, thank you so much for being with us.
BECK: Thanks for having me.
KEILAR: The makers of the V-22 Osprey, which no doubt you've heard of, it's a military aircraft, are facing a new lawsuit claiming they failed to address issues that led to a crash that killed five marines.
[15:35:03]
Ahead, we're talking with the family of one of those marines about the new legal action and the changes they want to see.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Nearly two years after the deadly crash of an Osprey aircraft, the families of four of the five U.S. Marines killed in the tragedy are suing Boeing and other manufacturing companies for negligence. The companies involved have not yet responded to requests for comment from CNN.
[15:40:00]
The Marines who were stationed at Camp Pendleton in Southern California were on a training mission in June of 2022 when their aircraft crashed into the desert. A Marine investigation found the accident was caused by mechanical failure, that there was no error on the part of the pilots or the crew, and there was nothing they could have done to prevent it.
I'm joined now by Brett Strickland. His son, Lance Corporal Evan Strickland, was killed in this crash. And Tim Loranger, the lawyer who is representing the families in this lawsuit.
Brett, I'm so sorry. I know this is an especially tough time for you and your family as you're coming up here on two years since Evan's death. Can you tell us about what you're hoping this lawsuit can achieve? I know you've been frustrated by what you see as a lack of meaningful information about the crash.
BRETT STRICKLAND, FATHER OF EVAN STRICKLAND: I think what we're looking for really is just, like you said, accountability, information, and a corrective fix. It seems like the common thread is they don't know why, but they think they fixed it. And to us, that's just not good enough.
KEILAR: Yes, I mean to your point there, I mean, Tim, there's been this mandate of a new part, right? A new part. And yet the crux of the issue still seems quite foggy.
You know, what is really the root of the problem here? The lawsuit alleges in part that there was a failure to warn, that this Osprey was known to have a defect, but not enough steps were taken to correct it. Tell us about that.
TIM LORANGER, ATTORNEY FOR FAMILIES OF MARINES KILLED IN 2022 OSPREY CRASH: That's exactly the issue that the families are dealing with now. That what they're hearing from the military through their investigation is that they've made some change, and they think that they've fixed a problem, but at the end of the day, they don't know what the root cause is.
And what that does is it creates an incredible amount of insecurity and uncertainty for the families and for Marines who are operating this aircraft. They deserve to know what exactly has happened here and for corrective action to be taken. And that's what we're looking for through this lawsuit.
KEILAR: Brett, there were other crashes. Of course, following the one that killed your son. Then there was a recent grounding and a lifting of that grounding in March. Do you think that this plane should be flying?
STRICKLAND: I think what any of us want is just to know that when the plane is flying, that they've done their due diligence and they know why certain things work or why they don't work. The only thing we want, our why in all of this, is just to try to make sure that the men and women that fly on the Osprey are as safe as can be.
KEILAR: And, you know, Brett, I was reading about how people who deal with aircraft safety and certainly defenders of the Osprey will point to, they'll say statistically speaking, the Osprey is a pretty safe military aircraft. But then in your case, I think people would be shocked to learn that a young Marine who brought a lot of comfort to your family in the wake of Evan's death, who was a pallbearer at his funeral, ended up going on about a year after Evan's death to also die in an Osprey crash.
How do you make sense of, you know, when you hear someone defending the Osprey safety record and then knowing that reality of what your family has experienced is?
STRICKLAND: It's not an easy one to answer, is it? I understand. You know, I mean, they love the aircraft. A lot of the air crew and the pilots, they really do love the platform. And for us, it's just a redundancy is not a redundancy when it's no longer working. And so that's the issue.
For us, it hurts. That was a huge wound. It was shortly after we had received our NISAP briefing, and he was like family. And so it was devastating. And the wound just was torn open again. So, I mean, I understand why they would defend it. I understand the statistics. But when you're on this side of it, the statistics really don't mean much.
KEILAR: Yes. Tim, can you speak a little bit to that as well when you're looking at the statistics, but also what you think the duty is of these manufacturers and what they need to get better?
LORANGER: What we've learned through this investigation is that the hard clutch engagement issue that's spoken about has been known for quite a long time. This, the statistics look good. The number of crashes compared to the number of hours that the aircraft has been operating looks really good.
But there has been this threat, this issue that they've been dealing with for years, and it hasn't been resolved. And very likely, this issue that was known years ago has started -- has developed into a bigger problem. So wear and tear on the aircraft has led to more malfunctions.
And now we've seen at least one and potentially more crashes resulting from that.
[15:45:00]
And of course, the investigation from the crash of the Japan aircraft has not come out yet. And we're waiting to see if there's a common thread. But we know is that this is an issue that's been dealt with for a long time. And there has not been a root cause found. And it has not been resolved as far as we can tell.
KEILAR: And Brett, I do want to give the final word to you. We're coming up here, obviously, on Memorial Day. I know you're going to be remembering your son. Tell us a little bit about him. Someone who obviously felt so compelled to serve his country at a young age.
STRICKLAND: You know, he wise beyond his years. It's cliche to say that, but it's true. He wanted to do good. I think some of the missions he was most wanting to be a part of would be humanitarian missions. And being Memorial Day, this is actually one of the last pictures and text messages I received from him was Memorial Day of 22, you know, a mere week before he passed. And it was him out jet skiing, enjoying life, collecting memories, as I like to tell them.
But he loved life. He loved music. He loved jazz. He was a saxophone player. He really was just a friend to everybody. And I think he liked to make everybody feel like they were important.
KEILAR: Yes, I know he loved the people in his life and those most important to him, his family members and you. Thank you so much for sharing a little bit about him with us and for telling us about this experience that you're going through with this lawsuit. We'll continue to follow it.
Brett, thank you. Tim, thank you to you both.
STRICKLAND: Thank you.
LORANGER: Thank you so much.
KEILAR: And we'll be right back.
[15:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Nearly 19 years ago, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and areas along the Gulf Coast, causing more than a thousand deaths and catastrophic flooding as numerous levees failed around the city.
KEILAR: Among the survivors were twin boys, just babies at the time, and their mom. Now they are young men who just graduated high school, and they're thanking the general who they say saved their lives. Here's Stephanie Elam with their story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From hurricane evacuees --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations the class of 2024.
ELAM (voice-over): to high school graduates. For twins J'Mari and A'Mari Reynolds, this is a moment that seemed improbable at the beginning of their lives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, Hurricane Katrina looks --
ELAM (voice-over): In the summer of 2005, Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, defeating many of the levees surrounding the city, flooding its streets and killing nearly 1,400 people. Survivors fought challenging circumstances to stay alive.
ALEXANDRIA WHEELER, KATRINA SURVIVOR: We hadn't eaten in maybe six days.
ELAM (voice-over): Alexandria Wheeler, knowing she needed to find help for her six-and-a-half-month-old sons, waded through the water. Her feet encountering unspeakable horrors in the turbid waters.
WHEELER: It was two bodies collided like this.
ELAM (voice-over): When the trio finally made it to the convention center-turned-makeshift shelter in the muggy heat, they were starving and dehydrated, the infants nearly limp. That's when Lieutenant General Russell Honore, the decorated commander who led the military response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, came to their aid.
LT. GEN. RUSSELL HONORE, LED MILITARY RESPONSE TO HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA: Folks in Washington, they were looking at calendars and we were looking at a clock.
ELAM (voice-over): It was a moment CNN caught on camera.
WHEELER: He was like God's angel. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be here today.
ELAM (voice-over): For years, Wheeler says she tried to get in contact with Honore to thank him for his kindness. But it would take another storm, Hurricane Harvey, threatening their new home in Houston in 2017, to bring them together again.
HONORE: I understand there's some who dat boys over here. Who dat?
ELAM (voice-over): Wheeler sent Honore a message on social media, and he responded.
WHEELER: We don't even have words to put into our mouths to thank you enough, or to repay you back for what you did.
ELAM (voice-over): Now nearly 19 years after their life-altering encounter, Honore took time to celebrate the boys' achievement.
HONORE: We affectionately referred to you as the Katrina twins, because the world got to meet you that day. ELAM (voice-over): But J'Mari and A'Mari, after a lifetime made possible by the man in uniform, are honoring Honore each in his own way. First, A'Mari.
A'MARI REYNOLDS, KATRINA SURVIVOR: And thanks to you, I'll be a future addition to the United States Marine Corps.
HONORE: Hoorah! You got to learn how to say that word, hoorah.
A. REYNOLDS: I chose to be in the Marines because I watched over the video and I kept watching, and it inspired me to want to help people a lot more.
ELAM (voice-over): Then J'Mari.
J'MARI REYNOLDS, KATRINA SURVIVOR: I would like to thank you so much for your bravery and your help that I was able to survive. I'm going to college to do automotive engineering.
ELAM: How do you feel hearing that these two young men are pursuing these careers that have been inspired in part by you?
HONORE: I feel so gratified. I mean, there's no greater service than the service to others. The engineer that will change the world, and the Marine that's going to help protect the freedom in our democracy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: J'Mari Ezekiel Wheeler Reynolds.
ELAM (voice-over): The twins now thriving after surviving hell and high water. Thanks to an undeterred mother.
HONORE: They're here today because of you and your tenacity.
ELAM (voice-over): And a compassionate commander.
HONORE: That these young men will be game changers. I'm so proud of you.
ELAM (voice-over): Stephanie Elam, CNN, Hampton, Georgia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[15:55:02]
KEILAR: What a story, right? Thanks to Stephanie Elam for that. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We have some news just in to CNN out of the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to undergo a non-surgical medical procedure at Walter Reed Medical Center tonight. The Defense Department says he will temporarily transfer his duties over to his deputy during this time.
[16:00:00] KEILAR: This hospital visit is related to a bladder issue that Austin has been dealing with earlier this year after undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. There was some controversy, of course, around that time because he had these two surgeries. He didn't tell the president or his deputy about it. Austin later said he should have told them and he pledged to be more transparent.
SANCHEZ: Obviously, we wish the Defense Secretary the very best. Great to be back with you. Finish out the week strong.
KEILAR: It is great.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
KEILAR: It's been a little minute since we got to anchor together.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
KEILAR: So it's very nice.
SANCHEZ: We appreciate you joining us on CNN NEWS CENTRAL. Shout out to my mom who's right over there filming me right now. She doesn't want to be on camera, but she's here.
Thanks so much for joining us. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.
