Applicability Domain: Towards a More Formal Framework to Express the Applicability of a Model and the Confidence in Individual Predictions
A common understanding of the concept of applicability domain (AD) is that it defines the scope in which a model can make a reliable prediction; in other words, it is the domain within which we can trust a prediction. However, in reality, the concept of confidence in a prediction is more complex and multi-faceted; the applicability of a model is only one aspect amongst others. In this chapter, we will look at these different perspectives and how existing AD methods contribute to them. We will also try to formalise a holistic approach in the context of decision-making.