An Age May Be Ending: The "I Didn't Know" Age.
For decades, executives and board directors have relied on "I was not properly informed" as an effective defense when held accountable for their decisions.
I have studied how the law reacted to over a hundred major failures and disasters—Vale’s two dam collapses, Boeing 737-800 accidents, Bhopal, Lehman Brothers, and more recently, Wells Fargo. In the latter case, executives and the CRO (!!) faced severe punishment, marking what appears to be a shift in how such failures are judged in the U.S.
The point is: the information is available. Decision-makers no longer need to be "properly informed" through formal, ritualistic processes.
And the stakes are rising. Soon, Boards and Management will be able to demand AI Agents that inform them automatically—without human filtering. No more excuses.
Is this good or bad? I’m not sure. It might increase liability in this field (I should worry). What’s your take?
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