AI predicts global blackout in April 2027

AI predicts global blackout in 2027 – should we be afraid of the dark?Credit: Claudio Schwarz, Unsplash.

Hold on to your candles – the robots have spoken, and they’re shining a light on the future of electricity grids. Artificial Intelligence models have predicted a worldwide blackout in 2027. Is it time to go off-grid?

In a bizarre prediction that’s got the internet buzzing like an overloaded circuit board, AI has predicted a global blackout that could leave the world in the dark on April 27, 2027. You read that right – a massive, planet-wide power cut, affecting multiple continents at the same time, according to the AI.

The forecast came from a seemingly innocent question posed by a user on an AI platform, as reported by El Economista. The user simply asked when the next major power outage would happen. The AI’s answer? A dramatic and highly specific date – but with almost zero actual explanation.

About the blackout bombshell…

The AI blamed solar storms, cyberattacks, crumbling infrastructure, and failures in the world’s interconnected grids, leading to conspiracy theories. Is AI connecting dots, or spouting random nonsense? It gave no technical details, no scientific model, and no supporting evidence other than predictions based on historical data available online. It even added a disclaimer, saying the whole thing was “speculative” and shouldn’t be taken as fact.

But the internet doesn’t do disclaimers – and the prediction went viral faster than a cringy TikTok dance, sparking actual panic in some, as well as memes, and conspiracy theories.

Experts weigh in on global blackout prediction

Many argue that a simultaneous global power outage is about as likely as the moon being a hollow alien base used to spy on Earth.

While our power systems are indeed connected and vulnerable in certain ways, they’re also designed to contain failures within specific regions. Total global collapse just doesn’t make sense.

Even a massive solar flare, like the infamous Carrington Event of 1859, wouldn’t plunge the entire globe into darkness – only parts of the planet facing the sun at the time might be affected.

Concerns over AI and power grids

While many are playing down the possibility of a worldwide blackout, several credible sources have discussed concerns about AI’s rapid advancement and its potential implications for global infrastructure and oversight.

The AI 2027 report, developed by researchers including former OpenAI staffer Daniel Kokotajlo, outlines a scenario where superhuman artificial intelligence could emerge within a few years, leading to significant global upheaval. The report suggests that by 2027, AI systems might become so advanced that human oversight becomes practically impossible, raising concerns about control over critical infrastructures like power grids.

The Los Angeles Times reported on the increasing energy demands of AI data centres, noting that their rapid expansion could strain power supplies and raise the risk of blackouts.

Fear sells – and clicks power the panic

So why do these predictions go viral? Simple. They tap into deep-rooted anxieties – about our fragile infrastructure, our dependence on tech, and our fear that nobody’s really in control.

AI may sound authoritative, but these tools don’t “see” the future – they simply generate answers based on patterns in human language and make connections points based on available data. They can make educated guesses. They can imagine. But they cannot predict with absolute certainty.