(KPL/Yonhap) Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday it has launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered campaign that turns ecological data into first-person narratives written from the perspective of trees, in an effort to raise awareness of climate change and forest degradation.

The "Tree Correspondents" campaign uses a large language model (LLM) to translate real-time data collected from trees into human-like stories that shed light on the environmental challenges facing forests today.

As part of the project, data trackers were installed on trees in the so-called Ioniq Forests in Brazil, the Czech Republic and South Korea. These sensors collect real-time information on climate, soil and other environmental factors.

The information is then analyzed, summarized and transformed into narrative content using natural language processing capabilities of the LLM, allowing trees to share their own stories about forest loss, biodiversity threats and ecosystem changes.

Hyundai Motor said the initiative reflects its brand slogan of "Progress for Humanity" by combining technology, storytelling and sustainability.

It is in line with Hyundai's Ioniq Forest initiative, a global tree-planting effort that began in 2016 alongside the launch of the Ioniq electric vehicle (EV). As of this month, the company has planted over 1 million trees across 13 countries, including the United States, India, South Korea and China.

"This campaign goes beyond conventional environmental messaging by giving trees a literal voice," said Jee Sung-won, senior vice president and global chief marketing officer at Hyundai Motor. "With 'Tree Correspondents,' we wanted to create a more personal and emotionally resonant way to engage audiences with the urgency of climate action."

KPL