A new white paper, AI Agents of Change: The New Climate Influencers, warns that AI could either turbocharge unsustainable consumption or drive deep emissions cuts — depending on how it influences consumer behaviour.
The paper, first discussed during New York Climate Week following a roundtable hosted by the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, Climate Collective and Spotify, calls for urgent action to steer AI toward empowering sustainable consumer choices.
The paper outlines four key tipping points that could turn AI agents into drivers of positive social change. Activating these could make sustainable consumption the default, transform markets and cultural norms, and position AI as a genuine agent of planetary stewardship.
The new analysis builds on an academic paper published earlier this year by ERI co-founder Owen Gaffney, which proposed the Earth Alignment Principle: AI development and deployment must align with planetary stability and stewardship. The new paper explores how this principle could be applied in practice, focusing on consumer behaviour.
“Given we are increasingly delegating more responsibility to agents, we wanted to ask, who are these agents working for? Given data shows people want to do more to protect the planet, will these agents be acting in the interests of consumers and the climate, or companies?” said Gaffney.
As AI agents increasingly guide purchasing and lifestyle decisions, they are becoming trusted advisors, shaping choices from what we eat to what we buy. Programmed with sustainability at their core, these agents could make low-carbon living the most natural, personalised and engaging option. Left unaligned, they risk amplifying overconsumption and reinforcing unsustainable business models — a critical concern given that household consumption accounts for more than 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The authors also highlight emerging challenges: as AI systems gain autonomy, they can negotiate with other agents, make decisions on our behalf. But what are their biases and default assumptions about the world and the climate? and adapt interactions to build trust and engagement. These capabilities make them powerful tools for behaviour change — for better or worse.
