Building a Better World: The Vision Behind 'Imagine Land 2040'

Vanderbilt students created Imagine Land 2040, the UN’s first AI film, tackling global land degradation.



Bringing a Vision to Life

Passionate students, bleeding-edge technology, and untold stories. In just six months, Vanderbilt University students pulled off the extraordinary: 'Imagine Land 2040.' The United Nations first AI film, this trailblazing project fuses AI-driven animation with live-action storytelling to tackle global land degradation. Showcasing the hopes of children in the United States, Senegal, China, and Brazil, the film envisions the G20 Global Land Initiative’s (GLI) ambitious 2040 promise: reduce land degradation by 50% by 2040.

Unveiled at the UNCCD’s COP 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 'Imagine Land 2040' immediately caught the eye of global leaders, activists, and influencers. This student-led breakthrough proves that creativity, collaboration, and technology can ignite hope—and action—on a worldwide scale.

The Beginning of an Idea

As the North American Youth Focal Point for the UNCCD Youth Caucus, Shaun Karakkattu had long sought ways to amplify global environmental challenges and inspire action. The opportunity came when Shaun met Dr. Muralee Thummarukuddy, Director of the G20 Global Land Initiative (GLI) at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), during a discussion on impact storytelling.

Months later, Shaun reconnected with Dr. Thummarukudy, who shared his desire to bring an AI-driven film to the United Nations. Their conversation planted a seed: What if artificial intelligence could be used to revolutionize impact storytelling? With Dr. Thummarukudy’s encouragement and the GLI’s backing, the vision for 'Imagine Land 2040' took shape, combining cutting-edge technology with youth-driven creativity to address global challenges.

Building a Team

Shaun knew he needed a strong team to execute this ambitious idea, and his first call was to his friend Benedict Ballman, a public policy major with a deep knowledge of filmmaking and AI.

“When Shaun shared this project, my brain kicked into gear,” Ballman said. “I knew it would be a challenge given the current state of AI filmmaking, but it was a chance to be on the forefront and use this emerging technology for good.”

Together, they recruited more than 40 Vanderbilt students, including Augustus Boettcher - Director, and Theodore Perl - Director of AI, and Deniz Orbay - Director of Production Design, for 'Imagine Land 2040'. The other students came from diverse disciplines—computer science, cinematography, engineering, music composition, and more. But the team’s reach didn’t stop there. They also collaborated with UN volunteers and students from around the world, building an international team of passionate, creative minds.

Partnering with the G20 Global Land Initiative

The collaboration with the G20 Global Land Initiative (GLI) was a cornerstone of the project. The GLI’s mission to combat land degradation and desertification, and its ambitious promise to reduce land degradation by 50% by 2040, became the focus of 'Imagine Land 2040'. This partnership provided the team the guidance and expertise to tell a story spanning four continents, the credibility to access a global audience, and the support to amplify the film’s message and impact.

“It was inspiring to see how students used artificial intelligence to bring fresh energy and innovation to such a critical issue,” said Dr. Muralee Thummarukuddy, Director of the G20 Global Land Initiative. “Their passion and creativity remind us that we must use bold, new approaches to achieve our 2040 promise— including empowering the voices of the next generation.”

Production of Imagine

Over the course of 6 months, the team worked tirelessly to produce ‘Imagine Land 2040.’ This film demanded each unique skill set from the over 40 person team, which Ballman and Karakkattu coordinated as Executive Producers.

The process began with writers rooms, ensuring the script told an empowering and authentic story of youth experience in Brazil, Senegal, China, and the United States. This quickly moved onto in-person production, securing actors, locations, and equipment. Meanwhile, the production team crafted stunning costumes and sets. The quality of ‘Imagine Land 2040’ is owed to the film's creative talent and rigorous organization, ensuring that all of these moving parts flowed seamlessly between subteams.

The most challenging part of ‘Imagine Land 2040’ for the team, though, was the AI synthography. In working with such novel technology, the team frequently ran into roadblocks. However, the students rose to the challenge, constantly innovating and finding cutting-edge breakthroughs. The workflows and processes they developed are leading global AI production, and became the foundation for the film.Further, the team prioritized ethical AI in their research and production. They worked to limit carbon and energy intensity, and collaborated alongside AI ethicists.

A Global Premiere at COP 16

In December 2024, 'Imagine Land 2040' premiered at the UNCCD’s COP 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The film’s innovative blend of AI animation and live-action storytelling captivated the international audience of global leaders.

Thanks to the partnership with the UNCCD and GLI, ten members of the team were able to attend its premier as official blue zone attendees. Over 100 people filled the original screening, prompting a second screening to similar success. Each screening prompted lively discussion about the use of AI to tackle global problems, ethical usage of AI, and impact storytelling.

“Standing at the pavilion and seeing our film resonate with such a diverse audience was brilliant,” Apoorva Bose, Programs Coordinator at G20 Global Land Initiative said. “It was proof of what can happen when people come together around a shared purpose.”

A Catalyst for Continued Advocacy

The success of 'Imagine Land 2040' has only deepened the team’s commitment to advocating for change on a global scale. Through panel opportunities in partnership with UNCCD’s Youth Caucus Pavilion, the GLI’s Restoration Pavilion, and the GECCI pavilion, each of the 10 team members advocated for ethical AI stewardship and the future of impact storytelling to global leaders and changemakers.

“This project showed us how youth-driven ideas can make a real impact, especially when supported by organizations like the GLI,” Ballman said. “We’re more motivated than ever to continue this work in intergovernmental spaces.”

Global Recognition and the Road Ahead

Since its premiere, 'Imagine Land 2040' has received critical acclaim. It has been selected to screen at several international conferences, including Start Summit St. Gallen and UNFCCC COP 30 Belem, and has been recognized by various prestigious film festivals such as the Seoul International AI Film Festival.

“This journey has been incredible, and it’s only the beginning,” Karakkattu said. “'Imagine Land 2040' is more than just a film—it’s a movement to inspire people to dream big, work together, and build a better future.”

Currently, the ‘Imagine Land 2040’ team has formalized into Tomorrow in Focus, a 501(c)3 non-profit AI production house, continuing to revolutionize storytelling for a new era. They will continue to partner with impact-focused organizations to create captivating media to amplify impact, share untold stories, and inspire action.

And so, the question remains: ‘What future will you imagine?’


Watch 'Imagine Land 2040's YouTube premiere March 3rd on the Tomorrow in Focus website.

Contact person name Shaun Karakkattu

company name Tomorrow in Focuswebsite tmrinfocus.org

e mail [email protected]

country USA

city Nashville

state TN

This content was first published by KISS PR Brand Story. Read here >> Building a Better World: The Vision Behind 'Imagine Land 2040'




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