The AI Reckoning / Appendix C

Executive Question Card

Ask for explanations and evidence without needing to review the code yourself.

Download printable PDFOne page · Updated October 20, 2026

Ten questions for your technical team

Can you draw the system and explain how the parts work together?
Where does important data enter, change, and leave the system?
What happens when a dependency fails or a request arrives twice? What test demonstrates it?
Which part is most fragile, and what are you doing about it?
Who can operate and repair it when its usual owner is unavailable?
Where is AI used to generate code or make decisions?
Who reviewed and tested those parts, and what evidence did they record?
Can the team change the code deliberately, or only ask a model to regenerate it?
When did engineers last observe the people who use the system?
How do you detect incorrect outcomes, rather than only checking that servers are running?

Look for specific examples, demonstrated controls, and honest limits. “I don’t know; here is how I will check” can be a useful answer.
Record unknowns with owners and review dates. Prioritize by the harm a failure could cause, not the confidence of the speaker.

Most important unknown: …. Owner / evidence / review date: ….

Use the printable worksheet to keep your notes and evidence with your team.