Glossary
Latency
Time required to complete a request or step.
Reviewed as part of Compute Markets and AI Infrastructure Vocabulary, using the primary references listed below. Updated 2026-07-19.
Plain-English meaning
Latency is used here to describe time required to complete a request or step. In the daily board, the word is grouped by the role it performs rather than by spelling or market popularity.
You may encounter it in a product interface, technical document, risk report, policy paper, or market dashboard. The term is included for recognition and comparison, not as a product recommendation.
Important boundary
Queue delay, network delay, and model execution can contribute separately.
When this word appears in a report, identify the mechanism being described before treating the label as a conclusion. Similar terms can point to different causes, controls, or outcomes.
Why it belongs with Model Serving
These words describe how inference systems trade speed, cost, and precision.
When solving the puzzle, compare the job this term performs with nearby cards. A correct group usually shares a function, risk type, workflow, or market structure rather than simply sharing similar wording.
Where you might see it
You might encounter this term while reading educational explainers, product documentation, risk disclosures, market dashboards, or beginner guides. Always separate vocabulary learning from financial decision-making.
Reading cue
Comparing compute offers beyond the GPU model name
Use the full guide's applied scenario to ask where Latency enters the process, what evidence supports it, and which nearby concept it could be confused with.
Read the complete applied scenarioNearby concepts
Compare before you memorize
Throughput
Work completed per unit of time.
High throughput does not guarantee low latency for a single request.Utilization
Share of available compute capacity doing useful work.
Allocated capacity is not the same as efficiently used capacity.Availability
Ability of a service to accept and complete work when needed.
A marketplace listing is not a guarantee of capacity at a specific time.Knowledge check
Check the distinction
When can high throughput and high latency coexist?
A batched system may process many items efficiently while each individual item waits longer.
Source trail
References behind this explanation
These references support the surrounding guide and concept boundaries. Open the full source when you need the original technical or policy context.
Primary guidance for defining measurable requirements and evaluating AI systems.
NIST AI Resource CenterAI Risk Management Framework PlaybookOperational practices for mapping dependencies, measuring performance, and monitoring systems.