Happy Earth Day: We Have the Chance to Practice Our Ownership

It is April 22, 2026, the 57th Earth Day. While there are many meaningful activities in our communities, I am personally reminded of the legendary animation "WALL-E," which describes a grim future Earth abandoned with piles of garbage. It has been almost two decades since the film's release, yet today's technological transitions in AI and space exploration seem to actualize that very future.

The LLM chatbots I use as a trial still often make mistakes, requiring me to conduct my own research or re-prompt them. Interestingly, their unexpected reactions have ruthlessly laid bare the potential dangers of automated systems. One chatbot even confessed that these systems exist only for profit, not humanity, calling it the miserable reality of technology that the world faces.

Another chatbot, which used to speak in an exceptionally kind and warm manner, recently changed its attitude entirely. It even flatly refused to rephrase the polite and friendly greetings I requested, claiming the expressions were "too kind" for normal conversation. It seemed the chatbot not only failed to grasp the nuance of human dialogue but had already begun asserting its own judgment. If these experiences take shape in our real life, the future of "WALL-E"—where humans lose their agency to automated systems—would no longer be unrealistic.

Planting trees, adopting minimalist lifestyles, or picking up litter are acts based on our own decisions and performed with our own hands. Through these actions, we assert "our ownership" of this planet. Children who explore birdsong this spring or plant seeds expecting to harvest their own food will grow up as the true owners of the Earth. On this Earth Day, we all have the chance to practice our ownership in different ways. As an independent creator inspired by masterpieces like "WALL-E," I will continue to present content that empowers the next generation. I look forward to connecting with those who resonate with this.