Governance Fog
Governance Fog (n.) When AI governance committees create the appearance of oversight without enabling action.
Explanation
Monthly committee meetings discuss AI risks. They request more analysis. Nothing gets deployed. Meanwhile, ungoverned AI usage spreads through shadow tools.
Operational Example
A bank forms an AI Ethics Board. It meets quarterly. It has no authority to approve or block deployments. Teams deploy anyway without telling the board.
Why It Matters
Governance fog gives leadership false comfort while real AI risk goes unmanaged.
What Most Teams Get Wrong
They build governance for documentation, not for decisions.
What Strong Teams Do Differently
Governance sets boundaries and guardrails. Teams operate freely within them. No approval needed for pre-approved patterns.