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Foundations AI Map
Taxonomy · Plate 02 · Core technical systems
5 layers102 source linksFlagship
Reviewed 17 Aug 2026Official statistics, standards and primary documentationMethod, limits and sources +
The map follows the production chain that makes AI possible. It is a systems model, not a claim that all of AI fits into five boxes.
- What has to exist before a model can run?
- Which physical constraints shape AI economics?
- Where does value move as one layer becomes commoditised?
Data, research practice, organisations, labour and governance cut across every layer. They are treated as cross-cutting forces rather than a sixth linear stage.