In Episode 4 of The Calculus of IT, Mike Crispin and I dive deep into what happens when "proof of X" becomes the fundamental currency of digital interaction. We're entering an era where verification matters more than the technology itself and IT leaders are on the front lines whether we're ready or not.

We explore the five pillars that need verification:

• Identity (are you who you say you are?)
• Humanity (are you even human?)
• Authority (are you authorized to do this?)
• Provenance (did you actually create this?)
• Expertise (do you actually know what the fuck you're talking about?)

From deepfakes and social engineering at industrial scale to the coming wave of AI agents that need their own credentials, we break down why your company's verification gap is probably bigger than you think and what you need to do about it.

Fair warning: This is Part 1 of a two-part episode. We got so deep into the weeds (in the best way) that we had to split it. Next week, we'll tackle IT's specific role in all this chaos, the impossible balance between friction and security, and whether continuous verification is our future or our nightmare.

Mike drops his latest prediction: We're moving from a governance economy to a verification economy. Instead of asking permission upfront, we'll increasingly ask forgiveness afterward with an army of human verifiers cleaning up the mess. He even coins two new roles you'll see in 2028: Chief Truth Officer and Model Auditor (complete with an otter mascot, obviously).

Key moments you won't want to miss:

• The safe word strategy we implemented at Xilio (and why you need one too)
• Why 60% of LinkedIn accounts are now fake—and what that means for professional networking
• The uncomfortable question: If an employee uses AI to create 90% of their deliverable, did they create it? And do you care if it's good?
• Why verification fatigue is about to become your biggest user experience problem
• Sam Altman's ben-wah ball crypto solution to solve the world's identity

This episode will make you question everything about how you onboard employees, verify identities, and trust the content flowing through your systems. Because whether you're ready or not, we're building systems where proving you're real is becoming harder than faking it.

Listen now, and join us next week for Part 2 where we tackle the really hard questions about IT's role in making verification work without turning your organization into a surveillance state.

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Two years ago, we spent 4 hours and 27 minutes hours dissecting decentralized IT models. Now, AI has changed everything or has it?

In this episode, Mike and Nate return to one of Season 1's most epic deep dives to ask a critical question: Has the AI revolution fundamentally altered how we should think about IT organizational models? (Hint: Maybe?)

The uncomfortable truth? AI simultaneously pushes companies in BOTH directions. It makes decentralization technically feasible (business units can now code, troubleshoot, and build without IT) while making centralization organizationally necessary (governance nightmares, cost explosions, and compliance chaos).

We explore:

• Why the four classic models (centralized, matrixed, decentralized, federated) still matter
• How AI is turning "shadow IT" into "shadow AI", and why it's worse
• The case for (and against) pulling cybersecurity, governance, and employee experience OUT of IT entirely
• Whether every employee should have Claude as their personal IT department
• Why 2028 might require a "verification economy" instead of traditional governance
• The prediction: Most companies will land on a federated model with centralized AI governance and distributed execution

The fundamentals haven't changed, but what HAS changed is our understanding that IT doesn't need to own everything (as if it ever did). The healthiest organizations will recognize what to control, what to influence, and what to let go.

Plus: Why Gemini 3.0 matters (or doesn't), the 5,000-calorie Shake Shack challenge, and whether we're all just one well-crafted prompt away from knowing as much as our bosses.

Episode runtime: 2+ hours of unfiltered IT leadership reality

Support the show

The Calculus of IT website - https://www.thecoit.us
"The IT Autonomy Paradox" Book - https://www.longwalk.consulting/library
"The New IT Leader's Survival Guide" Book - https://www.longwalk.consulting/library
"The Calculus of IT" Book - https://www.longwalk.consulting/library
The COIT Merchandise Store - https://thecoit.myspreadshop.com
Donate to Wikimedia - https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ways_to_Give
Buy us a Beer!! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thecalculusofit
Slack - Invite Link
Email - nate@thecoit.us
Email - mike@thecoit.us

Identity...I mean...super easy topic right?

Wrong.

Season 3 is largely devoted to looking at "capital-I Identity" from all available viewpoints. Tonight, we just started to try and figure out what the hell it actually means. We will come back to this idea many times this season so let this be the baseline to our discussion.

We also spent some time talking about idealizing tech stacks for small businesses and why Bob Barker's microphone was so long.

Dare I say it...yet another smash hit episode.

Support the show

The Calculus of IT website - https://www.thecoit.us
"The IT Autonomy Paradox" Book - https://www.longwalk.consulting/library
"The New IT Leader's Survival Guide" Book - https://www.longwalk.consulting/library
"The Calculus of IT" Book - https://www.longwalk.consulting/library
The COIT Merchandise Store - https://thecoit.myspreadshop.com
Donate to Wikimedia - https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ways_to_Give
Buy us a Beer!! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thecalculusofit
Slack - Invite Link
Email - nate@thecoit.us
Email - mike@thecoit.us