BYD Uses AI to Visualize a Future Driven by Combustion Engines

Apr. 23, 2026

On the same day the world marks Earth Day with initiatives focused on environmental protection, BYD Brazil is launching a new campaign that invites audiences to reimagine the future—this time, without combustion-engine vehicles.

Created by agency We, the initiative stems from a simple yet provocative experiment: using real prompts to ask different AI platforms to envision the future. The results are strikingly consistent. Regardless of the tool, the images depict a bleak scenario when the starting point is a world powered solely by combustion vehicles. When prompted to reimagine the future with BYD, however, the outputs shift dramatically.

Globally, the greentech company has set a mission to help reduce the Earth’s temperature by 1°C. In Brazil, roughly 90% of the current vehicle fleet still runs on combustion engines. At the same time, the country has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 59% to 67% by 2035 compared to 2005 levels, in line with its updated NDC presented at COP29.

Alexandre Baldy, senior vice president at BYD Brazil said:

"Despite the reality gap between those two facts, we believe in Brazil. And we’re confident that Brazilians believe in the brand. Over the past two months, the BYD Dolphin Mini has been the best-selling retail vehicle, which shows we’re building a story—and a new possible future."

 

Beyond the film, the media plan includes digital activations, social platforms, out-of-home placements, product integration in the telenovela Três Graças, and an exclusive TV break.

The initiative gains added relevance within a broader global context.

Armando Araújo, CCO of We said:

"In a world where AI dominates the conversation, our provocation was simple: what if we used the technology of the future to show what people can’t yet see today? The result is a campaign that ultimately uses consumer  intelligence as a trigger for change. Only an innovative company like BYD could spark this conversation and proposea redesign of mobility—reimagining a new direction."