SAN ANTONIO – As the video starts, a digital greeting plays.
“Hello, my name is Pauline Cantu Diaz,” the video says. “I have been missing for 13 long years.”
This is Artificial Intelligence (AI) at work. Search & Support San Antonio is using it to spread stories about missing people and call on the city to come forward with answers.
“It’s a great refresher,” president Nina Brooks said. “It’s a way to memorize the case again.”
The nonprofit has teamed up with Yuvish Chintaram, an AI engineer, to create these videos. Two have been posted right now, sharing the stories of Diaz and Cecilia Huerta Gallegos. What happened to these two women is unknown, and that is why these videos were created.
“It has so much gravity,” Chintaram said. “People actually wait to listen to the whole video.”
These videos are accessible online. You can watch Diaz’s video here and Huerta Gallegos’ here. Search & Support has also created QR codes, which have been posted on water bottles and posters across town.
“It just needs the right pair of eyes,” Brooks said. “You never know who’s seeing this.”
The stories of these two women are pieced together with photos, videos and now voice recordings. The team is working on its third video in the project.
“We always have hope,” Brooks said.
To read more about the group, click here.
