AI governance

What it actually means

The set of rules covering who may use what, for which cases, and who is accountable when it's wrong. Whether it helps depends entirely on whether it's specific enough to act on.

What it means in the meeting

Don't use it yet, we're still writing the document.

What to ask back

Until that document exists, are we allowed to use it or not?

Why this one gets stretched

Governance is genuinely necessary, especially where customer data or external output is involved. The way it deforms is into a document with no deadline: nothing is approved and nothing is forbidden, so everyone keeps using it quietly — which is precisely the state governance was meant to prevent.

Usually heard: The first time legal or security learns that everyone is already using it.

Related terms

AI Jargon Decoder

The literal definitions aim to be accurate. The only column joking on this page is the meeting-room one.