The Ultimate AI Glossary for Directors & Leaders
Edition 5 - 200+ AI terms every director and executive should understand — explained simply, without the hype.
Whether we like it or not, directors need to face a simple fact: artificial intelligence, particularly its governance, is now firmly a board issue. Many directors know it, but few feel confident talking about it, let alone exercising leadership.
I see it in my advisory work every week — people nodding along to terms like foundation models, RAG pipelines, or AI governance frameworks, while quietly wondering what they really mean. It’s understandable given the speed of change. The language of AI is evolving faster than most organisations and directors can adapt.
That’s why I created The Ultimate AI Glossary for Directors & Leaders — a single reference for leaders who need clarity, not hype or jargon.
Why it matters
Boards are being asked to sign off AI strategies, risk frameworks, and compliance plans. But without a shared vocabulary, conversations stall, misunderstandings creep in, and risk oversight weakens.
This glossary aims to fix that. It covers over 200 key terms — from algorithmic bias to zero-shot learning — all explained in plain English, written for directors, not data scientists. Every definition has been checked for accuracy and aligned with current UK, EU, and OECD guidance.
How to use it
Use it before your next strategy session, risk review, or AI presentation. Keep it open when reviewing proposals or supplier claims. It will help you ask sharper questions, challenge assumptions, and make better decisions.
AI governance isn’t about knowing how to code. It’s about knowing what to ask, what to approve, and what to challenge.
Where to get it
To access The Ultimate AI Glossary for Directors & Leaders, you may either view an online version or download a handy PDF version to view offline.
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