Gartner Warns: Misconfigured AI Could Cripple a G20 Nation by 2028

Gartner has issued a stark forecast: by 2028, a poorly configured artificial intelligence system embedded inside national cyber-physical infrastructure could force the shutdown of critical services in a G20 country.

The firm argues that the next large-scale disruption may arise not from hackers or natural disasters, but from errors introduced during AI deployment, tuning or maintenance.

Cyber-physical systems combine sensing, computation and connectivity to interact with the real world. They power operational technology environments such as industrial control systems, automation platforms, robotics, drones and connected factories.

Wam Voster, vice president analyst at the company, cautioned that as AI assumes real-time control responsibilities, systemic exposure rises. A mistaken parameter, an update script, or even a misplaced decimal could cascade into national-level outages.

Many AI engines running grids, plants and transport networks operate as opaque black boxes. Small configuration changes can therefore produce unexpected outcomes.

For example, a predictive model inside an electricity network might treat normal demand swings as instability, triggering unnecessary load shedding or isolating regions.

Consequences could include equipment damage, prolonged downtime and economic shock, with direct implications for public safety.

To counter the danger, the advisory firm urges CISOs to establish strict governance around AI in operational environments. Recommended safeguards include human override capabilities, extensive pre-deployment simulation using digital twins, continuous monitoring and rapid rollback options.

The message is clear: in the AI era, misconfiguration is evolving from an IT problem into a matter of national resilience.