An Arizona appeals court has overturned a 10-year manslaughter sentence after an AI-generated video portrayed the deceased victim speaking to the judge during sentencing.

The video, created by the victim’s family, used his likeness and voice to deliver a message of forgiveness to the man convicted of killing him in a 2021 road-rage shooting.

The appeals court ruled that the video was unreliable because it presented thoughts imagined by the victim’s sister as if they had come directly from the deceased man.

The court upheld the manslaughter conviction but ordered a new sentencing hearing, saying the AI video improperly influenced the sentencing process and made it fundamentally unfair, NBC News has reported.

The case is drawing attention to the growing legal and ethical concerns over AI-generated evidence and victim statements in US courtrooms.