What is software telemetry?

Definition

Telemetry can include measurements such as response time, error rates, and which parts of an application handled a request. It gives operators a view of behavior after software is in use, when a problem may not appear in a controlled test.

For an AI product, useful telemetry can connect an observed failure to the surrounding application state without assuming that a model alone caused it. Collection should be limited to what is needed and handled with appropriate privacy and security safeguards. Telemetry is evidence for an investigation, not a complete explanation by itself.

ELI5

Software telemetry is the set of signals a product keeps about how it is working. Those signals help a team notice problems and see what happened around them.

For example, if an AI assistant suddenly takes much longer to answer, a record of response times can show when the slowdown began and which part of the service was affected. The team still has to investigate why it happened.

Frequently asked questions

How is telemetry different from debugging?

Telemetry supplies observations about a running product. Debugging uses observations and tests to identify and verify a cause.

Does telemetry have to contain private user content?

No. Teams can collect limited operational measurements and should choose data practices that protect users while supporting diagnosis.

Videos explaining software telemetry

  1. Steven Sinofsky looks upward with one hand at his chin beside the blue and off-white AI SAFETY LANGUAGE headline on black.