The Global Risks Index
NXS-GRX · XT-10 · Exponential technology series

Digital twins and simulation

Digital twins and simulation used for risk decisions: model risk, validation and dependency.

Page GRX-SER-XT-10Edition Baseline Edition 2026Evidence close 2026-09-30Subject NXS-GRX proposedNexus Reports XT-10 (planned)Values not yet publishedSnapshot 31a753f76
FIG 1 · Series at a glance
Domain indices

2

Governance weakness · Technology concentration risk

Indicators

42

2 index domains

Hazard families

16

Frontier and exponential technology

Methods

83

Scientific assurance · Universal mathematics and statistics

Counts from the indicator, hazard and model registries.
2
domain indices
42
indicators in scope
1
hazard domains
3
client groups
01Scope

Scope and questions

The subject of this index is proposed by NXS-GRX (canonical data, provenance and risk); the Nexus Reports edition with the same code sets its own subject at commissioning, and any difference is recorded as a crosswalk.

  1. Which decisions rely on unvalidated twins?
  2. How is model risk governed?
  3. What happens when the twin and the system diverge?
02Construction

Domain indices to the series index

The series index is the expert-weighted geometric mean of its domain indices, with the intervals and class rule of the methodology.

computation
How the Digital twins and simulation index is built
Graph6 nodes
Graph
01Domain indices
02Series index
03Readings
100%
List
  1. Governance weakness
    Domain index · IDX · GOV
    Weighted aggregation, on 0 to 10, of governance quality, rule of law, policy and institutional quality and statistical capacity, each oriented by its own polarity so that higher values mean weaker governance.
  2. Technology concentration risk
    Domain index · IDX · TEC
    Index of technology dependence, critical-mineral dependence and, inverted, innovation capacity and biosecurity oversight, on a 0-10 scale, higher meaning riskier.
  3. Digital twins and simulation index
    Series index · SERIES · XT-10
    Digital twins and simulation used for risk decisions: model risk, validation and dependency.
  4. Country readings
    Output · OUTPUT · 195 profiles
    Published with intervals and classes when the edition is released.
  5. Regional readings
    Output · OUTPUT · 5 regions
    Published with intervals and classes when the edition is released.
  6. Global reading
    Output · OUTPUT · population or exposure weighted
    Published with intervals and classes when the edition is released.
Not runIn progressDone
FIG 2. Select a domain index to open its full construction; Simulate run plays the computation.
03Indices

Domain indices in this series

NXS-GRX · XT-10 · 195 profiles · 0–10 scale
Digital twins and simulation index, world
—
Values publish with the edition; the interval, class and change appear here.
IndexValueChangeChange %90% intervalClass · probabilityTrendRange
Governance weaknessNXS-GRX · GOV—————
Technology concentration riskNXS-GRX · TEC—————

Domains read: Technology and frontier, Governance and institutions.

04Indicators

42 indicators in scope

Every indicator whose primary or secondary domain is in scope, with unit, levels and crosswalks to source code lists.

FIG 3 · Indicators in scope, by domain and sub-domain
GOV · 20TEC · 8
Area is the number of indicator definitions; colour is the pillar the domain feeds (Macroeconomy and Space feed through their indices). Select a block to filter the table.
IndicatorDomainSub-domainComponentUnitLevelsCrosswalks
LIC-DSF composite indicator score (published, reference)IND.FIS.capacity.lic_dsf_composite_indicatorFISDebt-carrying capacitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRY
Net import reliance for critical mineralsIND.ECO.concentration.critical_minerals_import_relianceECOExport and import concentrationvulnerability%COUNTRY
Economic readiness for adaptation investmentIND.CLI.adaptation.economic_readinessCLIAdaptation readinessadaptive capacity{score}COUNTRYND_GAIN economic
Governance readiness for adaptationIND.CLI.adaptation.governance_readinessCLIAdaptation readinessadaptive capacity{score}COUNTRYND_GAIN governance
Dependency ratio on external renewable waterIND.WAT.dependence.external_water_dependencyWATTransboundary dependenceexposure%COUNTRY
Transboundary basin area with operational cooperationIND.WAT.dependence.transboundary_cooperation.shareWATTransboundary dependencecoping capacity%COUNTRYSDG 6.5.2
Seats held by women in national parliamentIND.SOC.gender.women_in_parliamentSOCGenderadaptive capacity%COUNTRYWB_WDI SG.GEN.PARL.ZS SDG 5.5.1
Voice and accountability (WGI)IND.GOV.quality.voice_accountabilityGOVGovernance qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WGI GOV_WGI_VA.SC WB_WGI GOV_WGI_VA.EST
Political stability and absence of violence (WGI)IND.GOV.quality.political_stabilityGOVGovernance qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WGI GOV_WGI_PV.SC WB_WGI GOV_WGI_PV.EST
Government effectiveness (WGI)IND.GOV.quality.government_effectivenessGOVGovernance qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WGI GOV_WGI_GE.SC WB_WGI GOV_WGI_GE.EST
Control of corruption (WGI)IND.GOV.quality.control_of_corruptionGOVGovernance qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WGI GOV_WGI_CC.SC WB_WGI GOV_WGI_CC.EST
Corruption Perceptions Index (Transparency International)IND.GOV.quality.corruption_perceptionsGOVGovernance qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRY
Press freedom score (RSF)IND.GOV.quality.press_freedomGOVGovernance qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRY
Rule of law (WGI)IND.GOV.rule_of_law.rule_of_lawGOVRule of lawcoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WGI GOV_WGI_RL.SC WB_WGI GOV_WGI_RL.EST
Property rights and rule-based governance (CPIA)IND.GOV.rule_of_law.property_rightsGOVRule of lawcoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WDI IQ.CPA.PROP.XQ
Unsentenced detainees, share of prison populationIND.GOV.rule_of_law.unsentenced_detaineesGOVRule of lawvulnerability%COUNTRYSDG 16.3.2
Bribery incidence among firmsIND.GOV.rule_of_law.bribery_incidence_firmsGOVRule of lawvulnerability%COUNTRYWB_WDI IC.FRM.BRIB.ZS SDG 16.5.2
Regulatory quality (WGI)IND.GOV.policy.regulatory_qualityGOVPolicy and institutional qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WGI GOV_WGI_RQ.SC WB_WGI GOV_WGI_RQ.EST
CPIA overall rating (IDA resource allocation index)IND.GOV.policy.cpia_overallGOVPolicy and institutional qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WDI IQ.CPA.IRAI.XQ
CPIA public-sector management and institutionsIND.GOV.policy.cpia_public_sector_managementGOVPolicy and institutional qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WDI IQ.CPA.PUBS.XQ
CPIA transparency, accountability and corruption in the public sectorIND.GOV.policy.cpia_transparencyGOVPolicy and institutional qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WDI IQ.CPA.TRAN.XQ
Efficiency of revenue mobilisation (CPIA)IND.GOV.policy.tax_administrationGOVPolicy and institutional qualitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WDI IQ.CPA.REVN.XQ
Deviation of budget execution from the approved budgetIND.GOV.policy.budget_execution_deviationGOVPolicy and institutional qualityvulnerability%COUNTRYSDG 16.6.1
Statistical Performance Indicators overall scoreIND.GOV.statistics.spi_overallGOVStatistical capacitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYWB_WDI IQ.SPI.OVRL WB_WDI IQ.SCI.OVRL
Completeness of birth registrationIND.GOV.statistics.birth_registrationGOVStatistical capacitycoping capacity%COUNTRYWB_WDI SP.REG.BRTH.ZS SDG 16.9.1
Years since the last population censusIND.GOV.statistics.years_since_censusGOVStatistical capacityvulnerabilityaCOUNTRYSDG 17.19.2
Business environment score (B-READY)IND.GOV.business.bready_overallGOVBusiness environmentcoping capacity{score}COUNTRY
Critical-mineral import supplier concentrationIND.ENE.minerals.critical_mineral_import_concentrationENECritical mineralsvulnerability1COUNTRY
ITU GCI legal measures pillarIND.CYB.capability.gci_legalCYBCyber capabilitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYITU_GCI Legal Measures
ITU GCI organizational measures pillarIND.CYB.capability.gci_organizationalCYBCyber capabilitycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYITU_GCI Organizational Measures
Data protection and privacy legislation in forceIND.CYB.capability.data_protection_lawCYBCyber capabilitycoping capacity{bool}COUNTRYITU_GCI Legal Measures
E-government developmentIND.CYB.dependence.egovernment_developmentCYBDigital dependenceexposure{score}COUNTRY
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D, share of GDPIND.TEC.capability.rd_expenditure.gdpTECTechnology capabilityadaptive capacity%COUNTRYSDG 9.5.1 WB_WDI GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS
Researchers per million inhabitantsIND.TEC.capability.researchers_per_millionTECTechnology capabilityadaptive capacity/10*6COUNTRYSDG 9.5.2 WB_WDI SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6
High-technology exports, share of manufactured exportsIND.TEC.capability.high_tech_exportsTECTechnology capabilityadaptive capacity%COUNTRYWB_WDI TX.VAL.TECH.MF.ZS SDG 9.b.1
Semiconductor import supplier concentrationIND.TEC.concentration.semiconductor_import_concentrationTECConcentration and dependencevulnerability1COUNTRY
Cloud infrastructure provider concentrationIND.TEC.concentration.cloud_provider_concentrationTECConcentration and dependencevulnerability1COUNTRY
AI compute capacity under foreign or single-provider controlIND.TEC.ai.ai_compute_foreign_controlTECArtificial intelligencevulnerability%COUNTRY
Foundation-model provider concentrationIND.TEC.ai.foundation_model_concentrationTECArtificial intelligencevulnerability%COUNTRY
Biosafety and biosecurity oversight of high-containment laboratoriesIND.TEC.bio.biosecurity_lab_oversightTECBiotechnologycoping capacity{score}COUNTRY
National DRR strategy aligned with the Sendai FrameworkIND.CRS.drr.national_drr_strategyCRSDRR strategycoping capacity{score}COUNTRYSENDAI E-1 SDG 1.5.3 SDG 11.b.1 SDG 13.1.2
Local governments with DRR strategies aligned to the national strategyIND.CRS.drr.local_drr_strategiesCRSDRR strategycoping capacity%COUNTRY, ADM1SENDAI E-2 SDG 1.5.4 SDG 11.b.2 SDG 13.1.3
05Hazards

Hazard families this series reads

families, each crosswalked to the UNDRR–ISC Hazard Information Profiles (2025) where a profile exists.

FIG 4 · Hazard families this series reads
Frontier109HAZARDS
1 hazard domains (inner ring) and 16 families (outer ring), sized by hazard count. Select a segment to filter the table below.
FamilyDomainHazardsCount
AI system failure and misalignmentFrontier and exponential technologyAI malfunction in a critical service, Out-of-distribution model failure, Correlated failure of shared AI models, Reliance on fabricated AI output, Specification gaming and reward hacking, Deceptive or strategically misaligned AI, Loss of human control over advanced AI, AI self-replication and exfiltration …11
AI security and model supply chainFrontier and exponential technologyTheft of frontier model weights, Backdoored AI model, AI model supply-chain compromise, Prompt injection against AI agents, AI-enabled cyber offence, Attack on AI compute infrastructure, Adversarial manipulation of machine learning7
AI misuse and capability upliftFrontier and exponential technologyAI uplift for biological weapons, AI uplift for chemical weapons, Synthetic media at scale, Non-consensual synthetic intimate imagery, AI-driven mass persuasion, AI-enabled mass surveillance and repression, AI-enabled seizure or entrenchment of power, Malicious use of AI8
Agentic AI acting at scaleFrontier and exponential technologyRunaway autonomous agent action, Multi-agent interaction cascade, Algorithmic market flash crash, Human deskilling and over-reliance on AI, Gradual human disempowerment by AI, Autonomous agent overreach6
Algorithmic decision and structural harmFrontier and exponential technologyHarmful automated decision-making, Clinical AI error, Rapid AI-driven labour displacement, Concentration of frontier AI capability, Competitive AI race and safety erosion, Degradation of the shared knowledge base, Recommender-system amplification harm, Harm from AI companions and chatbots …12
Robotics, autonomy and autonomous weaponsFrontier and exponential technologyLethal autonomous weapon use, Drone swarm attack, Weaponised small drone attack, Drone intrusion into protected airspace, AI-accelerated military escalation, AI in nuclear command, control and warning, Industrial and service robot injury, Autonomous vehicle system failure …10
Biotechnology and synthetic biologyFrontier and exponential technologyEngineered pandemic pathogen, Dual-use research of concern, Benchtop DNA synthesis misuse, Biological design tool misuse, Automated biofoundry accident, Gene drive escape, Engineered organism escape into the environment, Mirror-image organism creation or release …10
Nanotechnology and advanced materialsFrontier and exponential technologyEngineered nanomaterial exposure, High-aspect-ratio nanofibre inhalation, Nanomaterial accumulation in the environment, Uncontrolled self-replicating nanomachines, Molecular manufacturing arms race5
Neurotechnology, human enhancement and extended realityFrontier and exponential technologyBrain-computer interface failure, Neural device compromise, Neural data exploitation, Cognitive enhancement harm and coercion, Heritable human genome editing harm, Extended-reality physical and psychological harm, Manipulation of augmented perception7
Quantum technology and cryptographic transitionFrontier and exponential technologyCryptographically relevant quantum computer, Harvest-now, decrypt-later collection, Post-quantum migration failure, Quantum sensing erosion of strategic concealment4
Climate intervention technologiesFrontier and exponential technologySolar geoengineering termination shock, Stratospheric aerosol injection side effects, Marine cloud brightening side effects, Unilateral or rogue geoengineering deployment, Ocean fertilisation side effects, Ocean alkalinity enhancement side effects, Large-scale carbon removal land and water competition, Geological carbon storage leakage …11
Space technology and orbital infrastructureFrontier and exponential technologyDestructive anti-satellite strike, Non-kinetic counterspace attack, Mega-constellation orbital congestion, Constellation-wide service failure, Upper-atmosphere pollution from launches and re-entries, Satellite interference with sky observation, Back-contamination from extraterrestrial samples7
Digital infrastructure concentration and monocultureFrontier and exponential technologyCritical open-source dependency failure, Advanced semiconductor fabrication concentration, Digital identity and trust service failure3
Advanced and distributed manufacturingFrontier and exponential technology3D-printed and untraceable firearms, Distributed production of weapon components, Additively manufactured critical part failure3
Energy-transition technology failuresFrontier and exponential technologyLithium battery fire in vehicles and transport, Mass manipulation of connected energy devices, Advanced reactor material security risk, Critical mineral supply concentration4
Distributed ledgers and digital assetsFrontier and exponential technologySmart-contract and oracle exploit1
06Methods

Method libraries

Each method has a reference implementation or declares the specialist model, data or adapter it still needs; none is promoted beyond its evidence.

45 methods

Scientific assurance

Unit Verification · Analytical Benchmark · Convergence Testing · Numerical Stability · Solver Tolerance · Mesh Grid Convergence · Reproducibility …

38 methods

Universal mathematics and statistics

Robust Distribution · Empirical Distribution · Bayesian Updating · Hierarchical Bayesian · Extreme Value · Tail Risk · Copula Dependency …

07Users

Who uses it

Governments and national risk agencies

Prioritise prevention and preparedness; Plan with subnational layers; Track Sendai targets; Co-develop a national index

Companies and supply chains

Screen sites and suppliers; Watch chokepoints and pulse; Read country context

Universities and research

Replicate every value; Study methods; Contribute data and review

08Reports

Nexus Reports

Edition code
XT-10
Edition status
planned
Subject
Set by Nexus Reports at commissioning
Nexus Reports
09Cite

Cite and reuse

GCRI Canada (2026). The Global Risks Index (NXS-GRX): Digital twins and simulation series (GRX-SER-XT-10), Baseline Edition 2026. Preparatory working draft. https://risksindex.com/series/xt-10/ UNI NXS-GRX-AR-000097.
Series key
grix:SER.XT-10:{ISO3}:{YEAR}:A
Domain keys
nis:IDX.GOV.quality.governance_weakness:{ISO3}:{YEAR}:A nis:IDX.TEC.concentration.technology_concentration_risk:{ISO3}:{YEAR}:A

Every country reads this series

Each country profile carries the domain indices this series is built from.