  Titanium dioxide, TiO$_2$, is a refractory species that could play a crucial
role in the dust-condensation sequence around oxygen-rich evolved stars. To
date, gas phase TiO$_2$ has been detected only in the complex environment of
the red supergiant VY CMa. We aim to constrain the distribution and excitation
of TiO$_2$ around VY CMa in order to clarify its role in dust formation. We
analyse spectra and channel maps for TiO$_2$ extracted from ALMA science
verification data. We detect 15 transitions of TiO$_2$, and spatially resolve
the emission for the first time. The maps demonstrate a highly clumpy,
anisotropic outflow in which the TiO$_2$ emission likely traces gas exposed to
the stellar radiation field. A roughly east-west oriented, accelerating
bipolar-like structure is found, of which the blue component runs into and
breaks up around a solid continuum component. A distinct tail to the south-west
is seen for some transitions, consistent with features seen in the optical and
near-infrared. We find that a significant fraction of TiO$_2$ remains in the
gas phase outside the dust-formation zone and suggest that this species might
play only a minor role in the dust-condensation process around extreme
oxygen-rich evolved stars like VY CMa.
