Cyber risks grow as manufacturers turn to AI and cloud systems

In August, a cyberattack forced automobile manufacturing giant Jaguar Land Rover to shut down production for a month. The company reported around $260 million in cybersecurity costs in addition to $650 million in losses owing to the production disruption, U.S. tariffs on imported cars and the phasing out of older models. 

The unexpected halt of the manufacturer’s highly automated production lines in the U.K., which typically work on about 1,000 vehicles a day, also disrupted a broader global supply chain. Unions and officials estimated thousands of workers could be laid off and smaller suppliers could go bankrupt due to the sudden loss of business. 

Incidents like these are growing as manufacturers increasingly digitize their processes. Experts are raising concerns that cybersecurity measures have become an afterthought as more companies rapidly adopt artificial intelligence and cloud systems for efficiency, profitability and reduced reliance on human labor.

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