Except even the most destructive technologies have lead to incalculably valuable advancements for society. This is clearly a step back when we'd rather funnel our best minds into ads rather than things that could in a very real way help advance our civilization.

We're going to regret this sooner than later.

I hate ads too, but saying they are worse than nuclear weapons sounds just a bit too extreme... I mean, the information spreading helped by Google search was/is incalculably valuable for humanity.

Nuclear weapons did lead to nuclear energy, and that is a benefit. They also lead to the end of WW2 and to the peace we are living now ( the reason super powers don't fight each other is that attacking each other with nuclear weapons will mean the end of everything ).

I'm not sure what ads can give us...

It's difficult to argue with ideology amd frankly the shenanigans of the less ethical parts of the digital ads industry haven't helped, but if you get the chance or inclination to research advertising from the early days of invention of newspapers to the present day, you may find that it is largely advertising money that paid for democratising access to information, culture, communication and entertainment which was till fairly recently in the history of civilization the privilege of the rich. Not a few social revolutions have been enabled by wide access to information and communication by organisations whose bills arr paid by ad dollars.

Hooray for progress! Instead of destruction of the world we merely have a mental addictive prison for everyone!

Oh wait, we still have those nuclear weapons too!