Proximate cause
The condition or event that occurred immediately before a failure and directly triggered it. Almost always true as stated, and almost never sufficient by itself as an explanation, because it describes what happened without explaining why the system allowed it to happen.
Defined in 2 GAGE programs, which carry 3 distinct definitions of it. The wording above is taught in Engineering Judgment and Professional Formation.
How each discipline defines it
The same term does different work depending on who is using it. These are the definitions as each program teaches them, unedited.
Also called legal causation. The doctrine that limits how far back a court will trace responsibility even when a party's conduct is a genuine but-for cause of the harm, because courts generally stop assigning liability once an outcome becomes too remote or unforeseeable from that party's original conduct.
The last event before the harm, closest to the output (for example, "the model produced a one-sided answer"). Real and worth recording, but where investigation begins, not ends.
The condition or event that occurred immediately before a failure and directly triggered it. Almost always true as stated, and almost never sufficient by itself as an explanation, because it describes what happened without explaining why the system allowed it to happen.
Where it is taught
The exact lessons this term appears in. The first module of every program is free with a free account.
- The post-incident review: what you missed, written without blaming the tool · Shipping AI and Surviving the Incident, Certified AI Governance Professional (CAIGP)
- Root cause analysis that finds the real cause · Failure Analysis, Learning From How Robots Break, Engineering Judgment and Professional Formation
- Who is responsible when an autonomous robot causes harm · Responsible Physical AI in Practice, Engineering Judgment and Professional Formation
Where it shows up at work
A definition is where Proximate cause starts. The lessons above teach it inside the competencies below, which are what job descriptions ask for and what the GAGE credential records. Every link here is drawn from the same careers map that builds a role's readiness check.
Assures AI systems that can cause physical harm: hazard analysis, safety cases, runtime monitors, and the standards evidence a regulator or a court will ask for.
One lesson on this page teach it as a primary outcome.
Understands AI that acts in the physical world: perception stacks, vision language action models, sim to real transfer, sensor fusion, and where each of them fails.
One lesson on this page teach it as a primary outcome.
Designs safeguards, family protocols and reporting paths for older adults, minors and people who cannot challenge an automated outcome.
One lesson on this page teach it as a primary outcome.
Roles that hire for it
Each role page shows the full competency set, what the seat decides, and a readiness check against your own evidence.
- Robotics AI Engineer, embodied systems editionneeds it at depth
- Physical AI Safety Engineer, autonomous systems editionneeds it at depth
- Autonomous Systems Governance Lead, robotics and physical AI editionneeds working knowledge
- Ethical AI Specialistneeds working knowledge · 5 open postings this week
How job descriptions say it
Postings rarely use the textbook word. These are the phrases the careers map reads as asking for the competencies above.
Where the frameworks place it: EU AI Act; EU Machinery Regulation; ISO 10218; ISO/TS 15066.
One interview question about it
A collaborative robot's learned policy updates monthly. What evidence do you need before each update reaches the floor, and who signs it?
Asked of candidates for physical ai safety assurance. Answering it in your own words is exactly how a GAGE topic is passed, and the credential records the pass where an employer can check it.
If you come from another field
Some backgrounds already carry this competency, and the readiness check gives credit for it.
- Elder services, social work, banking front line and fraud teams carries it as a claim to back up: Safeguarding vulnerable people is the profession.
Terms it appears with
Not an alphabetical neighbourhood: these are the terms taught in the same lessons, ranked by how often they appear together.