AI Film “Mad World” Depicts Submerged Cities if Climate Goals Are Missed
Ahead of the International Day of Climate Action on October 24th, the Australian studio AiCandy—the country’s first creative production company specializing in artificial intelligence—created and released a free 90-second film titled “Mad World.” Its goal is to make viewers contemplate the fragility of our planet and urgently discuss the need to meet the UN’s climate targets by the 2030 deadline.
This short film was created entirely using artificial intelligence technology and vividly demonstrates what will happen if the world fails to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The scenario is based on real scientific data. For instance, according to a recent statement from the World Climate Research Programme, by 2100, global sea levels could rise by 1.3 to 1.6 meters due to strong warming.
Using cutting-edge AI, the creators visualized these forecasts, showing what famous metropolises around the world could look like if we fail to reverse climate change by 2030. From rising sea levels to collapsing infrastructure, the footage offers a sobering look at the future that awaits us. At the same time, the film offers a message of hope, reminding us that active measures can still change the outcome.
The film’s emotional impact is heightened by the use of Gary Jules’s famous song “Mad World.” The musician and the record labels Terrorbird and BMG provided the song for the project free of charge, underscoring the global importance of the issue and our shared responsibility to act.
“This idea had been lying in my desk for years, and only thanks to the possibilities of AI filmmaking were we finally able to bring this story to life,” shared Kent Boswell, Co-Founder and Head of Production at AiCandy. He also expressed gratitude to Gary Jules for believing in the project and donating his timeless composition, which “gave the film its soul.”
As proud members of the United Nations Association of Australia, the founders of AiCandy have donated the film in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The studio, launched this year by the internationally awarded creative duo Marcus Tesoriero and Kent Boswell, is at the forefront of merging human creativity with a new generation of AI-based film production.
“Climate change is the defining issue for our generation,” stated Marcus Tesoriero, Co-Founder and Head of Creative at AiCandy. “By using AI to show what our future cities could look like if we don’t act, we hope to make the consequences of inaction impossible to ignore. If our film inspires even a small step towards meeting the 2030 goals, it will have achieved its purpose.”
The studio encourages everyone to share this film to amplify the global call for urgent climate action.