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Outage Depot

Scenario

When one software failure spreads across everything that depends on it

Payments, inventory, shipping, customer service, and scheduling increasingly run on shared automated software, including AI systems. This scenario imagines a failure in that shared layer that spreads for several days. It's a teaching scenario, not a prediction, and it isn't a case against technology. The point is that the same household habits cover it. If you searched because a service is down right now, check that company's status page first; this page is about what that does to a household.

Illustration of hands opening a can with a manual can opener by lantern light, beside a closed laptop and a jar of cashIllustration
On this page
  1. Why this scenario exists
  2. What stops working in this scenario
  3. What usually keeps working
  4. First 24 hours
  5. Days 2 to 7
  6. Buy / Borrow / Skip
  7. What to buy
  8. Sources

Why this scenario exists

Large outages have already come from ordinary causes. On July 19, 2024, one faulty security-software update crashed Windows systems widely. CISA said it wasn't a cyberattack, and that scammers quickly used it for phishing. When many businesses depend on the same systems, one failure can hit them all at once. Automated and AI-driven systems add speed and scale to that dependence, in both directions.

What stops working in this scenario

  • Card processing at stores that share a failing payment provider
  • Online ordering, delivery tracking, and app-based customer service
  • Store restocking, if inventory and shipping systems are affected
  • Bank and brokerage apps that depend on the same vendors
  • Automated phone lines that route every call through software

When automated systems go down

When payments, apps or logins stop working, the same steps apply as in a card or internet outage. See card networks down and internet and cell outage.

What usually keeps working

  • Cash
  • Your home stock of food, water, and supplies
  • Radio and in-person information
  • Local businesses that can run on paper for a few days

First 24 hours

  1. 1Treat it like a card outage: switch to cash for essentials. If you don't keep any at home, this is the day you'll wish you did.We may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.See cash boxes in the Shop →
  2. 2Don't panic-buy. Buy what you need, and get your updates from official sources.
  3. 3Screenshot or write down balances and recent transactions while apps still load.
  4. 4Get updates from official sources on the radio or at local government sites, not viral posts.

Days 2 to 7

  • Keep records of every payment and charge. Automated systems may double-charge or post late when they recover.
  • Expect slow restocking. Eat from your home stock and keep store trips short.
  • Watch for scams. CISA saw scammers use the July 2024 outage for phishing. Expect fake "refund" calls and texts, and never give account details to anyone who contacts you first.

Buy / Borrow / Skip

Buy: the same core kit as a card outage: cash storage, document pouch, water, radio, light, power bank.

Borrow: information from neighbors and local businesses. It's often faster than anything online.

Skip: "AI-proof" or "anti-AI" products, conspiracy guides, and anyone selling certainty about when or how this will happen.

What to buy

We may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Related: Card networks down · Bank and ATM access

Sources

We base the how-to steps on this page on public guidance. We link to it so you can check it yourself.

Last reviewed: November 3, 2026