Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images for Disney(LAS VEGAS) — Talk about life imitating art.
If you’re a Marvel and Iron Man fan, you know that Robert Downey Jr.’s character Tony Stark is a genius who’s hell-bent on using technology to save the world.
Well, Downey took the stage Tuesday at Amazon’s re:MARS artificial intelligence conference to announce his real-life plan to do just that.
Downey posted some short clips and pics from the Las Vegas event on Instagram, writing, “What a #night @amazon #amazon #remars #thankyou #articleone #footprintcoalition #2020 #lasvegas.”
In one of the clips, his introduction is purposely botched as they announce an Oscar-nominated actor, writer and humanitarian, and then say … Matt Damon.
When Downey finally comes out, he says, “I didn’t come all the way to Las Vegas to be humiliated,” as the audience laughs.
Downey’s new venture, called the Footprint Coalition, will launch in April 2020.
“Between robotics and nanotechnology, we could clean up the planet significantly, if not totally, in 10 years,” Downey said, according to the many new outlets in attendance, including Forbes and Variety.
It’s a lofty goal, but one that had fans celebrating Downey’s character — both on screen and off.
“Robert Downey Jr. IS Tony Stark and you can’t change my mind,” one fan posted online.
Robert Downey Jr. IS Tony Stark and you can’t change my mind pic.twitter.com/KgEB1LISeM
— dominique loves manchee (@stephenstrcnge) June 5, 2019
In his presentation Downey said that, like many others, he has a “quiet sense of crisis” regarding the earth.
And yes — Damon, a fellow actor who’s also concerned about the planet, later joined via video.
robert downey jr using robotics and AI (inspired by his role as tony stark) to focus on to clean up the earth in the next decade is the real life superhero that earth deserves and needs.
that’s my man. that’s my hero. thank you rdj. pic.twitter.com/s9lpoWvodR— tiny t⎊ny (@woIvern) June 5, 2019
A Footprint Coalition website is now live for supporters to sign up for updates and alerts.
“Thanks for your interest in the Footprint Coalition, and for caring about Mother Earth. Sign up for our newsletter and you’ll be the first to know about our next steps on this environmental journey,” the site reads.
“Between robotics and nanotechnology, we could clean up the planet significantly, if not totally, in 10 years” Robert Downey JR
This man is literally out here bringing tony stark to life, A legend pic.twitter.com/IQDRSU4OGX
— Stark⎊ (@RunTheJewrls) June 5, 2019
Tuesday’s announcement comes on the heels of a report from the Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration that has a dire warning about climate change.
The paper, published by the Australian think tank last week, says that the accelerating climate-change impacts, if left unchecked, could result in “large negative consequences, which will be irreversible, resulting in major reductions in global and national population, mass species extinction, economic disruption and social chaos.”
Also on Tuesday, presidential candidate Joe Biden announced a $5 trillion climate proposal as part of his campaign.
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