Cam Geer on Building the Post-Blockchain Trust Layer for AI, Digital Identity, and the Quantum Web

This week on The Immergence Show, we were thrilled to host Cam Geer, the Co-Founder & COO of Cryptid Technologies, Inc., and a senior executive with deep expertise in Payments, Identity, and Financial Compliance. He is a recognized voice in building provenance-based authenticity for AI Governance and DeFi.

Geer shared profound insights into why the internet's foundational trust layer is cracking under the pressure of AI and quantum computing, and how we can architect a more secure, post-blockchain future. This article distills the key educational takeaways and pivotal insights from our discussion. While we explore the core concepts here, to truly grasp the depth of Geer's vision, including his detailed telling of the 18th-century "Longitude Problem" and how a lone clockmaker's insight provides a powerful analogy for solving today's digital trust crisis, the full video interview is a must-watch.

📺 Watch the Full Interview with Cam Geer on YouTube or LinkedIn.

The Cracks in the Foundation: Why Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is Failing

For the last 30 years, the internet has run on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), the system that underpins everything from secure websites to the username-and-password model we use daily. Geer argues that this legacy system, while revolutionary for its time, is fundamentally unprepared for the next era of the web. The rise of sophisticated AI has weaponized the creation of deep fakes and synthetic identities, making it easier than ever for bad actors to compromise systems.

Compounding this threat is the imminent arrival of post-quantum computing (PQC). Quantum computers are projected to be powerful enough to crack the encryption algorithms that currently protect trillions of dollars in commerce and national security data by the end of this decade. This isn't a distant threat; it's a ticking clock that renders our current security models obsolete. The sheer scale of future AI agents, which will need to transact securely on our behalf, makes the current one-to-one key management system completely unscalable and insecure.

Key Insight: "Trust is an outcome. It's not a product. It is not a service. It is not something that you can own. It is something that you earn."

The Power of Provenance: A New Model for Digital Authenticity

So, if the old model is broken, what replaces it? Geer proposes a shift in mindset, moving from simple authentication to the richer concept of provenance. He defines provenance as the verifiable chronology of ownership and history. Think of the Mona Lisa: its immense value comes not just from the painting itself, but from the unbroken, documented history proving it was created by Leonardo da Vinci and tracing its ownership to the present day. This history conveys authenticity, attribution, and legal rights.

In the digital world, this means establishing an immutable record of an entity's history—be it a person, a piece of data, an AI agent, or a work of art. This approach moves beyond a simple "yes/no" check for access and instead creates a rich, verifiable context for every interaction. Establishing this digital lineage is the key to building real, lasting value and trust online. Cam Geer elaborated extensively on this in the full interview, offering several more examples of how provenance is the cornerstone of future digital economies.

Key Insight: "Provenance accrues market value over time."

Architecting the Future: Verifiable Key History Over Key Pairs

The core technical innovation Cryptid Technologies is building is a move away from the fragile link between an identity and a public/private key pair. Instead, their model is built on verifiable key history. This is achieved by separating a stable, long-term identifier (what they call a "very long-lived address" or VLAD) from the cryptographic keys used to sign transactions. These activities are recorded in a personal, non-consensus-based "provenance log."

This architecture is a game-changer for security. If a private key is ever compromised, the user can unilaterally rotate it—issuing a new one—without losing their identity or their entire interaction history. The provenance log proves they had control before the malicious event, allowing them to reclaim their identity seamlessly. This is a fundamental departure from blockchain, which typically requires consensus, and solves a major roadblock for creating scalable, truly decentralized systems where trillions of AI agents can operate securely and autonomously.

Key Insight: "The fundamental unit of identity is this verifiable key history and not key pairs."

Real-World Impact: From AI Agents to Artist Royalties

This new trust layer isn't just a theoretical concept; it has profound, practical applications. For the coming world of agentic AI, it provides the foundation for AI agents to be granted "power of attorney" to transact on our behalf in a secure and verifiable way. For creators and artists, it enables automated and enforceable royalty payments. By creating a provable, mutually signed agreement logged in the provenance logs of both the artist and the licensee, the system can ensure creators are compensated whenever their work is used to train AI models.

Geer also highlighted healthcare as an industry that will be completely transformed. A provable provenance layer would give individuals true ownership and fine-grained control over their personal medical data, allowing them to share it securely and selectively without relying on centralized, vulnerable platforms.

Key Insight: "Decentralization is really about power. It is not about technology. This is about having the autonomy, the ability to do things in your own self-interest."

Looking Ahead: Geer's Vision for a Compliant, Secure Future

Looking forward, Geer sees this technology as essential for navigating the complex regulatory landscape of digital finance and AI. The ability to prove the identity and history of counterparties in a transaction is critical for compliance with regulations like the "travel rule" in crypto. This new model provides the tools financial institutions and regulators need to combat money laundering and fraud while still embracing innovation. For Cam Geer's full, unfiltered predictions on where digital finance regulation is heading – including some truly eye-opening scenarios discussed off-the-cuff – the complete Immergence Show episode is unmissable.

Unlock the Full Strategic Discussion

This article provides a strategic overview, but the magic is in the details! To hear Cam Geer share the personal stories behind his "first principles" approach to product development, his step-by-step advice for developers looking to build on this new infrastructure, and the lively Q&A we had on zero-knowledge proofs, and to truly absorb their expertise:

📺 Watch the complete interview on YouTube or LinkedIn.

About Your Host & The Immergence Show

Nico Fara is a Business Strategist, Product Marketer, and passionate Community Builder specializing in the vibrant intersection of AI, Gaming, XR, Fashion, and Consumer Tech. With a talent for translating visionary tech into compelling product strategies and fostering thriving, engaged communities, Nico empowers brands to connect authentically with their audiences and drive impactful growth. Explore Nico's insights further by visiting her website or connect on LinkedIn.

About The Immergence Show: Get your weekly dose of community and cutting-edge insights on The Immergence Show, a thriving live community event where innovation in AI, XR, Web3, Gaming, and Retail-Tech meets a deeply engaged global community. We host interactive discussions with industry pioneers, ensuring our audience of creative technologists, entrepreneurs, and brand executives leaves with fresh perspectives and actionable knowledge. Join the live experience every Tuesday at 12 PM EST on LinkedIn, catch up on all past episodes via our YouTube Channel and find more resources on our website.