Decoder with Nilay Patel Experian's tech chief defends credit scores: 'We're not Palantir'
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Jan 26, 2026 
Alex Lintner, Experian’s CEO of Technology and Software Solutions, oversees global platforms, security, privacy, and AI. He explains how Experian's cloud-native data platforms and AI governance work. They discuss depersonalized modeling, strict security measures, federated organization, and tools that give consumers control like freezes and opt-ins.
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Central Standards, Localized Products
- Experian balances central technology standards with localized product adaptation across regions.
- Lintner argues central AI governance enables safe reuse of models while letting business units tailor features.
Align Roadmaps Through Governance
- Coordinate roadmaps via a technology executive board that discloses plans and enforces reuse and standards.
- Chair and align CTOs, CISOs, and risk officers in regular decision meetings to avoid duplication.
Origin Story Of Credit Scoring
- Lintner recounts C. Ramo, an early merchant who recorded who repaid loans and who didn't, as the origin of credit scoring.
- He uses this history to argue modern scoring still relies on observed behavior rather than personal attributes.