Definition
Plain language
A signed statement from a narrow checker program that vouches for a specific fact an AI agent observed.
As stated in the literature
In evidence-carrying agent architectures, a typed structured record from a specialized verifier asserting a named predicate with provenance and confidence, used by a deterministic gate to authorize actions.
Also called: certificates
Why it matters: It separates an agent's loose reasoning from the narrow, auditable checks that actually authorize consequential actions.
For example, before an agent transfers funds, a small verifier emits a signed certificate saying 'invoice_id 7421 is approved and unpaid' that the action gate checks against its rules.
Heard on the show
“But the certificate travels with the franchise.”Episode 158 — How Floating-Point Rounding Lets a Model Tell Which Chip It's On — And Misbehave