Decided in Silence
How absence becomes a decision, and who pays the cost. The narrative book, written for the citizen, parent, teacher, and leader.
ForthcomingPlease use what is here as written. If you need something that is not here, ask.
Use whichever length fits. These are the approved versions; please use them as written rather than paraphrasing, particularly around the status of the books and Still in Charge.
Thomas Tornatore is an author and strategic leader. He founded Fellowship Intelligence, an AI strategy and governance firm, writes the weekly newsletter The Wrong Default, and is the author of two forthcoming books, Decided in Silence and Answerable.
Thomas Tornatore is an author and strategic leader who spent three decades inside organizations where accountability was not optional: regulated finance, large-scale security, and technology. He founded Fellowship Intelligence, an AI strategy and governance firm that helps risk-sensitive organizations keep a named human accountable for AI use. He is also developing The Practice Charter, for experienced practitioners who have recently gone independent. He writes the weekly newsletter The Wrong Default, founded Still in Charge, a Fellowship Intelligence student AI governance initiative, and is a founding member of the Always Questioning creator collaborative. His two books, Decided in Silence and Answerable, are forthcoming.
Thomas Tornatore is an author and strategic leader. He leads ventures, advises executives, writes, and teaches. What connects the work is a refusal to take the easy answer: the default nobody chose and the process nobody questions.
For three decades he worked inside organizations where accountability was not optional, across regulated finance, large-scale security, and technology. His focus now is how people and institutions keep judgment, privacy, and control as AI moves into the work.
He is the founder of Fellowship Intelligence, an AI strategy and governance firm working with organizations where a wrong AI-influenced call carries real weight. He is also developing The Practice Charter, for experienced practitioners who have recently gone independent. He writes The Wrong Default, a weekly newsletter on AI, defaults, and who owns the decision. He founded Still in Charge, a student AI governance initiative. He is a founding member of the Always Questioning creator collaborative. His two books, Decided in Silence and Answerable, are forthcoming. He lives in Las Vegas.
Cleared for editorial use in connection with coverage of Thomas, his books, or his work. Please credit as "Courtesy of Thomas Tornatore." Do not alter, crop beyond framing, or apply filters.



How absence becomes a decision, and who pays the cost. The narrative book, written for the citizen, parent, teacher, and leader.
ForthcomingWho owns the decision when the machine has already made it. The workplace companion, written for the operator and the professional.
ForthcomingThe AI strategy and governance firm Thomas founded, and his main focus. It helps risk-sensitive organizations install the policies, controls, ownership, and escalation paths that keep a named human accountable for AI use.
fellowshipintelligence.comIn development. Thomas will work one to one with experienced practitioners who have recently gone independent, settling seven things in order over ninety days together. Not yet taking paid engagements.
thomastornatore.com/practice-advisoryThe weekly newsletter Thomas writes for Wrong Default Media, the publishing arm of Fellowship Intelligence. On AI, defaults, and who owns the decision. One fully sourced edition a week, with opinion pieces when something is worth saying. Partner newsletters under the same banner are planned.
thewrongdefault.comA Fellowship Intelligence student AI governance initiative that Thomas founded and runs, teaching students to use AI without surrendering judgment, privacy, or accountability.
stillincharge.orgThe creator collaborative Thomas helped found. It carries his creative work: fiction, film, and the projects that are not about governance. It is not the publisher of either book.
alwaysquestioning.comWritten guidance Thomas wrote for professionals who are asked to use AI at work, applied to their field and role. No AI inside.
On sale since October 5, 2026Thomas speaks to boards, executive teams, conferences, podcasts, schools, and community organizations.
Given at Tech Alley Henderson. A featured talk and Q&A.
Talk givenGiven at a private conference. A 60-minute session for founders in analytical science, diagnostics, and instrumentation, with a 30-minute Q&A workshop.
Talk givenWhy most AI risk is not a technology failure but an accountability failure, and what organizations need to install before they scale AI deployment.
The five governance elements most organizations skip, the workflows where absence of control creates the most exposure, and the decisions that cannot be undone once made.
How to build a thinking partner calibrated to your decisions, constraints and blind spots, so it sharpens your judgment instead of quietly taking it over.
How Still in Charge builds AI citizenship before students enter the workforce, and why governance literacy matters for every future employer.
A few things get stated incorrectly often enough to be worth naming.
Both books are forthcoming from Wrong Default Media, the publishing arm of Fellowship Intelligence. Both manuscripts are complete and in editing, with citations underway. No publication date is set, so please do not attribute one.
Describing either book as published, released, or available for purchase.
Still in Charge is a Fellowship Intelligence student AI governance initiative. It is free, it is not accepting funds, and its 501(c)(3) formation is in progress.
Describing Still in Charge as a funded nonprofit, a registered 501(c)(3), or an organization taking donations.
Media requests, podcast bookings, speaking inquiries, and rights or representation for Decided in Silence and Answerable. All of it runs through Wrong Default Media. Email is best, or book time directly.
contact@thewrongdefault.comPractice Charter inquiries, reader mail, and anything that is not media or rights.
thomas@thomastornatore.com