MIT's Catalini: Model Improvements Erode App-Layer Moats, Only Verification Survives
kimmonismus · x · 2026-08-03
In a guest essay, Christian Catalini, founder of the MIT Cryptoeconomics Lab, analyzes the shifting landscape of business moats in the era of AI.
He argues that almost every traditional advantage—such as routing, distribution, marketplace liquidity, and app-layer feature sets—is merely a 'lease' that weakens every time foundation models improve. The only kind of network effect that actually strengthens in this environment is what he calls 'verification-grade' network effects, which focus on ensuring the authenticity and trustworthiness of data and outcomes.
Related event: MIT Scholar: Verification Network Effects Are the Only Moat in the AI Era(4 posts)→
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