# Worksheet 8.1: Trust-But-Verify Protocol Card

*Companion to* Elastic Intelligence, *Chapter 8*

**Name:** ____________________   **Date:** __________

**How to use:** Print this, fold it, and keep it by your desk. Use it for any high-stakes AI-assisted decision (Section 8.5).

| Step | Check | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Frame | Restate the question in my own words |  |
| 2 Predict | Expected answer; my confidence __% |  |
| 3 Scan | Fabrication · Misreading · Missing context · Overreach · Bias · Sycophancy · Staleness · Compounding |  |
| 4 Verify | Every number, name, rule, source |  |
| 5 Context | What do I or others know that it doesn’t? |  |
| 6 Stress-test | Argue the opposite |  |
| 7 Decide | Accept / Modify / Override, with a 1-line reason |  |
| 8 Review | Date to check the outcome: ______ |  |

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*Worksheet from* Elastic Intelligence *by Zafrullah Khan, Ed.D. © 2026 ai021.ai, Inc. You may print it for personal, team, or classroom use. Download: https://www.ai021.ai/book/elastic-intelligence*