---
id: "concept-blast-radius"
type: "concept"
source_timestamps: ["00:17:19", "00:17:45"]
tags: ["risk-management"]
related: ["concept-guardrails-security-design", "concept-reversibility"]
definition: "A risk assessment metric defining the maximum potential damage caused if an AI system fails or behaves maliciously."
sources: ["s42-job-market-split"]
sourceVaultSlug: "s42-job-market-split"
originDay: 42
---
# Blast Radius

## Definition

A core metric in [[concept-guardrails-security-design]]. **Blast radius** asks: *'What is the worst possible outcome if this agent fails completely?'*

The architect must work backwards from the worst-case scenario.

## Examples

- **Small blast radius**: a misspelled email draft.
- **Catastrophic blast radius**: an agent autonomously prescribing an incorrect drug interaction.

## Architectural implication

The size of the blast radius dictates the strictness of the required guardrails. Pair this analysis with [[concept-reversibility]] to derive the human-in-the-loop posture.