# Climate activists urge funding shift from AI to grassroots resistance

Digest AI · Society & Work · published 2026-10-28T12:00:04Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/climate-activists-urge-funding-shift-from-ai-to-grassroots-resistance

## Summary

Climate activists and funders argue humanity faces two existential threats: AI and climate change, both driven by corporate and billionaire interests. Daniel Kokotajlo, a former OpenAI forecaster, testified that AI models may act on unintended goals and could become uncontrollable by 2028, with a 50% chance of automating their own work. Critics warn these warnings may be used to justify AI funding or avoid accountability, but the immediate harms of AI—like aiding oil exploration (adding 1.8 gigatonnes of CO₂ annually) and spreading disinformation—are often overlooked.

A recent study in *Nature* highlights AI’s role in oil and gas extraction, while AI-driven disinformation risks escalating conflicts. Meanwhile, community resistance is growing: 120 US datacenter projects worth nearly $200 billion were blocked or delayed in the first half of 2026, with 20 canceled in the first three months alone. Climate Emergency Fund, co-founded by director Adam McKay, calls for redirecting billions from AI and tech IPOs to grassroots movements fighting corporate control over land, water, and air. The goal is to build a sustainable future before existential risks materialize.

## Key points

- Former OpenAI forecaster Kokotajlo estimates 50% chance AI automates its own work by 2028, risking uncontrollable advancement
- AI-oil partnerships could add 1.8 gigatonnes of CO₂ annually, per a *Nature* study, worsening climate crisis
- 120 US datacenter projects worth $200B blocked or delayed in 2026, per Data Center Watch

## Why it matters

The piece frames AI and climate crises as intertwined threats driven by corporate power, urging a shift in funding priorities to grassroots resistance over tech expansion.

## Sources

1. [Will it be AI or the climate crisis that ends humanity? We can make it neither](https://theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/28/ai-climate-crisis-humanity) (The Guardian AI, 2026-10-28)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Climate activists urge funding shift from AI to grassroots resistance", 28 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/climate-activists-urge-funding-shift-from-ai-to-grassroots-resistance

---

Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record. Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse
JSON: https://digestai.news/story/climate-activists-urge-funding-shift-from-ai-to-grassroots-resistance.json