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Negative space

By Updated

The uses an AI system is explicitly not for, written into its Deployment Decision Record. It sits inside the provider's intended purpose and makes function creep detectable, because an unapproved use has somewhere to be recorded as out of scope.

Developed in
ch. 15, Start from the use case, not the model
Chapters
ch. 15, Deployment
Source
Defined by this Body of Knowledge: the section it is developed in is the source

Where it is used

One chapter of the Body of Knowledge uses the term. Each link opens the first section that does.

Negative space: mentions per chapter9 mentions of the term across 1 of the 23 chapters of the Body of Knowledge; the chapters the glossary cross-references are drawn solid.Cross-referenced chapter15 Deployment: 9 mentions15 Deployment9No mentions in the other 22 chaptersSource: the Body of Knowledgev0.5.0
Negative space: mentions per chapter9 mentions of the term across 1 of the 23 chapters of the Body of Knowledge; the chapters the glossary cross-references are drawn solid.Cross-referenced chapter000102030405060708101112131415 Deployment: 9 mentions9151617181920212223Source: the Body of Knowledge v0.5.0
Mentions per chapter How often each chapter names the term, with the chapters the glossary cross-references drawn solid. The longest bar is where to read the term in use; bars spread across many chapters mark a term that runs through the discipline.
Mentions as a table
Mentions of Negative space per chapter
ChapterMentionsCross-referenced
00 Preface0No
01 Definition0No
02 Why Now0No
03 Values & Principles0No
04 The Stack0No
05 Patterns0No
06 The Role0No
07 Maturity Model0No
08 Regulatory Map0No
10 Reading List0No
11 AI Defined0No
12 Governance Program0No
13 Risk Management0No
14 Development0No
15 Deployment9Yes
16 Fairness & XAI0No
17 Incidents0No
18 EU AI Act0No
19 Privacy & AI0No
20 Existing Law0No
21 AI Laws Worldwide0No
22 Principles & Standards0No
23 AI Agents0No

Patterns that use this term

2 pattern pages use the term, most mentions first.

Negative space: related terms and patternsThe term at the centre; related terms on solid edges, the terms it is contrasted with on dashed edges, and the patterns that use it most in the colour of their layer.RelatedColour: stack layer of the pattern02 Inventory04 Runtime ControlsNegative spaceRelated terms (5)AI system · RelatedAI systemDeployment Decision Record (DDR) · RelatedDeployment Decision RecordFunction creep · RelatedFunction creepIntended purpose · RelatedIntended purposeProvider · RelatedProviderPatterns using it (2)Downstream Use Register, 2 mentions · Uses the termDownstream Use RegisterDrift & Fairness Monitor, 1 mention · Uses the termDrift & Fairness Monitor
Negative space: related terms and patternsThe term at the centre; related terms on solid edges, the terms it is contrasted with on dashed edges, and the patterns that use it most in the colour of their layer.RelatedColour: stack layer of the pattern02 Inventory04 Runtime ControlsRelated terms (5)AI system · RelatedAI systemDeployment Decision Record (DDR) · RelatedDeployment Decision RecordFunction creep · RelatedFunction creepIntended purpose · RelatedIntended purposeProvider · RelatedProviderPatterns using it (2)Downstream Use Register, 2 mentions · Uses the termDownstream Use RegisterDrift & Fairness Monitor, 1 mention · Uses the termDrift & Fairness MonitorNegative space
The term's neighbourhood Terms related to this one on solid edges, terms it is often confused with on dashed edges, and the patterns that use it most in the colour of their layer. Follow a dashed edge to check the distinction before you use either term.
Neighbourhood as a table
Neighbourhood of Negative space
FamilyItemRelation
Related termsAI systemRelated
Related termsDeployment Decision Record (DDR)Related
Related termsFunction creepRelated
Related termsIntended purposeRelated
Related termsProviderRelated
Patterns using itDownstream Use Register, 2 mentionsUses the term
Patterns using itDrift & Fairness Monitor, 1 mentionUses the term
  • Deployment Decision Record (DDR)

    The artefact that records the decision to deploy an AI system: objective, the people it acts on, negative space, risk tier and obligations, per-group…

  • Intended purpose

    The use for which the provider intends an AI system, including its specific context and conditions of use.

  • Function creep

    The gradual reuse of personal data or an AI system for purposes nobody approved, usually by configuration rather than a new release.

  • AI system

    For governance, the object the AI definition brings into scope.

  • Provider

    Under the EU AI Act, whoever develops an AI system or general-purpose AI model, or has one developed, and places it on the market or puts it into service…

Sources

No external source: the term is coined or used in a specific sense by this Body of Knowledge, and the section linked under "Developed in" is its source.

Definitions of legal terms paraphrase the cited text, which governs. Dated statements are as of .

Cite this term

García Aibar, J. (2026). Negative space. In AI Governance Engineering: The Thesis & Body of Knowledge (v0.5.0), Glossary. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22956197. https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/negative-space. CC BY 4.0

BibTeX

@misc{aige2026negativespace,
  author  = {Jorge García Aibar},
  title   = {{Negative space}},
  note    = {Glossary, AI Governance Engineering: The Thesis \& Body of Knowledge, version 0.5.0},
  year    = {2026},
  doi     = {10.5281/zenodo.22956197},
  url     = {https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/negative-space}
}