AI Governance Engineer
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Function creep

By Updated

The gradual reuse of personal data or an AI system for purposes nobody approved, usually by configuration rather than a new release. For personal data it breaches purpose limitation unless a compatibility assessment or new basis covers the new use 1; negative space in the deployment record makes it detectable.

Developed in
ch. 19, Purpose limitation and function creep
ch. 15, Secondary use and downstream harm
ch. 05, Pattern: Downstream Use Register
Chapters
ch. 05, Patterns · ch. 14, Development · ch. 15, Deployment · ch. 19, Privacy & AI
Source
1 numbered reference, listed below

Where it is used

2 chapters of the Body of Knowledge use the term. Each link opens the first section that does.

Function creep: mentions per chapter3 mentions of the term across 2 of the 23 chapters of the Body of Knowledge; the chapters the glossary cross-references are drawn solid.Cross-referenced chapterCross-referenced, not named05 Patterns014 Development015 Deployment: 2 mentions15 Deployment219 Privacy & AI: 1 mention19 Privacy & AI1No mentions in the other 19 chaptersSource: the Body of Knowledgev0.5.0
Function creep: mentions per chapter3 mentions of the term across 2 of the 23 chapters of the Body of Knowledge; the chapters the glossary cross-references are drawn solid.Cross-referenced chapterCross-referenced, not named000102030405060708101112131415 Deployment: 2 mentions21516171819 Privacy & AI: 1 mention11920212223Source: 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 Function creep per chapter
ChapterMentionsCross-referenced
00 Preface0No
01 Definition0No
02 Why Now0No
03 Values & Principles0No
04 The Stack0No
05 Patterns0Yes
06 The Role0No
07 Maturity Model0No
08 Regulatory Map0No
10 Reading List0No
11 AI Defined0No
12 Governance Program0No
13 Risk Management0No
14 Development0Yes
15 Deployment2Yes
16 Fairness & XAI0No
17 Incidents0No
18 EU AI Act0No
19 Privacy & AI1Yes
20 Existing Law0No
21 AI Laws Worldwide0No
22 Principles & Standards0No
23 AI Agents0No

Patterns that use this term

One pattern page uses the term.

Function creep: 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 InventoryFunction creepRelated terms (5)AI system · RelatedAI systemDownstream use register · RelatedDownstream use registerNegative space · RelatedNegative spacePurpose limitation · RelatedPurpose limitationReasonably foreseeable misuse · RelatedReasonably foreseeable misusePatterns using it (1)Downstream Use Register, 2 mentions · Uses the termDownstream Use Register
Function creep: 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 InventoryRelated terms (5)AI system · RelatedAI systemDownstream use register · RelatedDownstream use registerNegative space · RelatedNegative spacePurpose limitation · RelatedPurpose limitationReasonably foreseeable misuse · RelatedReasonably foreseeable misusePatterns using it (1)Downstream Use Register, 2 mentions · Uses the termDownstream Use RegisterFunction creep
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 Function creep
FamilyItemRelation
Related termsAI systemRelated
Related termsDownstream use registerRelated
Related termsNegative spaceRelated
Related termsPurpose limitationRelated
Related termsReasonably foreseeable misuseRelated
Patterns using itDownstream Use Register, 2 mentionsUses the term
  • Downstream use register

    The record of every consumer of an AI system's outputs (a system, team, partner or training pipeline), each with its approved use, the re-test that cleared…

  • Purpose limitation

    The GDPR principle that personal data collected for a specified purpose may not be further processed in an incompatible way; Article 6(4) sets the…

  • Reasonably foreseeable misuse

    Use of an AI system not in accordance with its intended purpose that may result from reasonably foreseeable human behaviour or interaction with other systems…

  • Negative space

    The uses an AI system is explicitly not for, written into its Deployment Decision Record.

  • AI system

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

Sources

  1. [1] Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation) (Arts. 4(1), 4(5), 4(7), 4(8), 4(12), 4(14), 5, 6, 9, 12(3), 22, 25, 28(2) and 28(4), 30, 33, 35; Recital 26). Publications Office of the EU (EUR-Lex). 2016-04-27. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj/eng (verified: primary)

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

Cite this term

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

BibTeX

@misc{aige2026functioncreep,
  author  = {Jorge García Aibar},
  title   = {{Function creep}},
  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/function-creep}
}