A recent Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage highlights how reliant the internet is on a small number of core infrastructure providers. This scenario underscores the growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) in daily life, which could worsen disruptions if outages occur.
Currently, many companies use cloud-based services for virtual server space, storage, and developer tools. However, when these services experience an outage, it can have a significant impact on businesses. The issue is exacerbated by the fact that AI tools are becoming increasingly central to work processes, making them even more vulnerable to disruptions.
The tech industry is shifting towards AI “agents” doing more work on behalf of humans in the near future. However, this reliance on cloud-based services raises concerns about the reliability and security of these systems. As companies become more reliant on AI, they risk being severely impacted if outages occur.
Despite these concerns, there are opportunities to build more resilient internet architecture. Smaller cloud computing competitors like Oracle and CoreWeave are gaining market share with AI-specific offerings. Major large language model makers, including Meta and OpenAI, are also investing in their own data centers to reduce the strain on shared systems.
To mitigate the risks associated with relying on cloud services, companies can invest in multiple cloud providers, smaller and more power-efficient AI models, or prioritize security capabilities like finding and fixing security flaws. The tech industry is pushing for a balance between innovation and reliability, but it remains uncertain whether this goal will be achieved.
The shift towards AI presents both opportunities and risks. While AI has the potential to automate many tasks, it also carries the risk of severe disruptions if outages occur. As the reliance on cloud-based services continues to grow, it is essential for companies to prioritize resilience and security in their infrastructure.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/22/tech/aws-internet-outage-ai-risks