Coined Term • 2026
Authority Propagation Coefficient
How much AI authority flows from a parent entity to related entities through declared relationships
Status
Coined by Joseph Byrum
Year Introduced
2026
Domain
Entity Engineering
Term Type
Operational Framework
Corroboration
Understanding Authority Propagation Coefficient
Authority Propagation Coefficient answers: if the parent company has strong AI authority, how much flows to related entities through declared schema.org relationships? The formal prediction is that machine-readable ontological declarations create a measurable authority transfer pathway. If confirmed, it opens a strategic lever: building AI authority for a high-CPQ parent can accelerate authority for related entities that would otherwise need to build from zero.
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Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Authority Propagation Coefficient?
The Authority Propagation Coefficient (ρ_prop) measures how much of a high-CPQ parent entity's citation authority transfers to a related entity through machine-readable schema.org relationship declarations. If confirmed, it opens a strategic lever: building AI authority for a strong parent can accelerate authority for related entities that would otherwise start from zero.
Does authority always propagate at full strength?
No — propagation is bounded and attenuated. Related entities cannot fully inherit parent authority; the transfer rate depends on the quality and specificity of declared relationships. This means relationship declarations should be precise and institutionally anchored, not generic.
Does propagation create shared risk?
Yes. High propagation coefficients cut both ways: adversarial damage to a parent entity partially propagates to related entities, and vice versa. Organizations with complex entity networks should map propagation pathways explicitly and harden the highest-risk links against adversarial targeting.
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