application
What It Means
An application is simply a software program or system that performs specific business functions for users. It's the digital tools your employees and customers actually interact with - whether it's your CRM system, mobile app, or internal analytics dashboard. Applications run on computer infrastructure and are designed to solve particular business problems or enable specific workflows.
Why Chief AI Officers Care
Applications are where AI capabilities actually get deployed and create business value - they're not just technical infrastructure but direct touchpoints with users and business processes. Each application represents potential AI integration opportunities, regulatory compliance responsibilities, and operational risks that need governance. When applications incorporate AI features, they become subject to AI governance policies, data privacy requirements, and algorithmic accountability measures.
Real-World Example
Salesforce CRM is an application that sales teams use daily for customer management. When a company adds Einstein AI features to automatically score leads and predict deal closure rates, that same CRM application now incorporates AI capabilities that require governance around model accuracy, bias monitoring, and transparent decision-making for sales forecasting.
Common Confusion
People often confuse applications with underlying infrastructure or platforms - but an application is the actual user-facing software, not the servers, databases, or cloud platforms it runs on. Applications are what users interact with to get work done, while infrastructure is what keeps those applications running behind the scenes.
Industry-Specific Applications
See how this term applies to healthcare, finance, manufacturing, government, tech, and insurance.
Healthcare: In healthcare, applications encompass clinical systems like Electronic Health Records (EHRs), patient portals, diagnosti...
Finance: In finance, applications encompass critical systems like trading platforms, risk management systems, portfolio managemen...
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Includes:
- 6 industry-specific applications
- Relevant regulations by sector
- Real compliance scenarios
- Implementation guidance
Technical Definitions
NISTNational Institute of Standards and Technology
"A software program hosted by an information system."Source: SP800-37
"A hardware/software system implemented to satisfy a particular set of requirements."Source: CSRC
"software or a program that is specific to the solution of an application problem"Source: aime_measurement_2022 citing ISO/IEC TR 24030
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