Impact investor Tom Chi challenges a dangerous assumption: that economic growth and ecological health are opposing forces. He reveals how advances in AI and robotics are enabling a radical shift towards innovation as a force for restoration. Imagine mines that extract less, farms that regenerate soil and fleets of robots that can plant 100,000 mangroves in a single day. What if the same technologies that power our economy could actively repair the planet at the same time?

The army of autonomous robots restoring nature

The belief that economic progress always comes at nature’s expense is a myth. Every product, from cotton shirts to digital code, ultimately depends on resources mined or grown from the earth. Today, over 90 billion tonnes are extracted from the planet each year, yet technology is making it possible to rethink how we mine, farm, and repair damaged ecosystems. From AI-powered soil analysis to fleets of robots planting over 100,000 mangroves a day, the tools now exist to regenerate the environment while fueling economic growth.

Innovation Can Restore Nature And Boost The Economy Together

The idea that economic growth must come at nature’s expense is a flawed mental model. Every part of the economy, from the food we eat to the devices we use, relies on mining or growing materials from the planet. Advances in AI and robotics are now enabling large-scale ecological restoration, such as planting 100,000 mangroves in a single day and creating affordable underwater robots to revive seagrasses and corals. By reimagining technology’s role, it becomes possible to regenerate soil, close material loops, and heal degraded ecosystems while sustaining prosperity.

Innovation Can Restore Nature Instead Of Destroying It

The belief that economic growth must come at nature's expense is a flawed mental model. Every product and service is ultimately mined or grown, tying the economy directly to Earth's health. Technologies like AI-driven recycling and fleets of planting robots now make large-scale ecological repair not just possible, but practical. One drone can plant 100 mangroves per minute, showing how human ingenuity can actively restore the planet.

Innovation Can Heal Nature Instead Of Harming It

*Climate Capital: Investing in the Tools for a Regenerative Future*

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TED Stage Talk

Tom Chi: The army of autonomous robots restoring nature