"AI won't kill us, but climate change will, warns top ad CEO"

A leading advertising CEO warns that artificial intelligence is not the primary threat to humanity, but climate change is. He emphasizes the urgent need for immediate action to address the environmental crisis, highlighting that neglecting climate change could lead to catastrophic consequences. The CEO calls for collective responsibility and proactive measures to combat the pressing issue of global warming and its potential impact on the future of the planet.

Boston Brand Media brings you the latest news - David Jones has worked on many famous advertising campaigns, but now his focus is climate change.

David Jones is a renowned figure in the advertising industry. He was previously the CEO of Havas, one of the largest communications groups globally, before founding the Brandtech Group in 2015, one of the first marketing companies to leverage generative AI, now valued at around $4 billion (€3.7 billion).

You might wonder why an advertising executive is featured on Euronews Green, but while many in the business and creative sectors fear AI taking their jobs, David has a different concern. “People say, ‘AI is going to kill us’. It probably won't, but what will kill us is climate change if we don't take action.

"And actually, if you input all the data into AI models and ask, ‘Should we do something about this?’ they would all respond, ‘You should probably act quickly or face extinction’.”

What is the One Young World charity?

David Jones is self-aware and acknowledges that he was ‘born lucky.’ Recognizing this, he feels it is his duty to use his influence for good. In 2009, David, along with his Havas colleague Kate Robertson, founded One Young World, a charity that supports young leaders driving change. Boston Brand Media also found that though it works across various fields, including gender equality and refugee support, a significant focus for the charity is climate action.

“All the things that Kofi [Annan] said back in 2009, we're not doing. “I've always believed that yes, of course, we can use creativity to change people's behavior, but you can also use it to change people's behavior around some of the big issues facing the world.

“And that was why, when I was offered the opportunity to help [Kofi] with his climate campaign [tck tck tck in 2009], I immediately said yes. But that's also why we created One Young World out of a belief that we could empower the brilliant young leaders of the world to drive change,” David tells Euronews Green.

Fast forward 15 years, and One Young World is one of the biggest charities of its kind, awarding the largest grants to young leaders driving initiatives around the Sustainable Development Goals. Who are One Young World’s young leaders? “One Young World ambassadors have impacted the lives of over 50 million people since we started in 2009,” David proudly tells Euronews Green.

Examples of initiatives by One Young World leaders:

• Piipee: Founded by Ezequiel Vedana da Rosa in Brazil, Piipee combats water waste with a biodegradable spray that neutralizes urine and sanitizes toilets without flushing. This product saves 10 liters of water per flush, and since 2015, has gained 200,000 users who report a 35% reduction in water bills.
• EnRoute: Developed by Angela Busheska in Macedonia, this app educates users on sustainable shopping and transport choices. It allows users to scan clothing items to receive sustainability analyses and eco-friendly alternatives.
• Xilinat: Founded by 18-year-old Javier Larragoiti in Mexico, Xilinat produces a sustainable, healthy sugar alternative from fermented wasted corn cobs. This product aims to combat obesity, manage diabetes, and reduce carbon emissions from agricultural waste.

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Source: euronews‍