Definition
Plain language
Exactly the same, down to the last piece of stored data — not just similar-looking.
As stated in the literature
Two files or outputs whose raw byte sequences match exactly; used to rule out any hidden variation between conditions in a controlled comparison.
Also called: bit identical, byte-identical, byte identical
Why it matters: It lets researchers re-examine an old run in new ways without re-running or re-estimating anything, so any difference between two runs must come from the agent, not the dice.
For example, replaying a twenty-season simulation with the same starting seed produces the exact same match results, transfers, and final table, right down to the last decimal.
Heard on the show
“Now give both models the *byte-identical* prompt: "Who coaches this team in twenty-twenty-six?”Episode 037 — Why Hallucination Detectors Miss Stale Facts: A Geometric Story About What Models Know But Don't Say