Glossary
Definitions.
Short, precise definitions for the terms used across Alara — and for the broader vocabulary of deterministic AI.
- Deterministic AI
- AI that produces the same answer for the same input every time, with reasoning that can be replayed and verified. Contrast with probabilistic AI, which samples a new answer on every run.
- AI memory architecture
- The underlying system an AI uses to store, retrieve, and update context across conversations. Determines whether memory is real and reproducible, or simulated by re-injecting recent text into the prompt.
- AI thinking partner
- An AI designed to help a person think over time rather than respond to a one-off prompt. Carries context across sessions, surfaces patterns, and lets the user resume any thread without re-explaining.
- Replayable reasoning
- The property of an AI system whose chain of reasoning for any given answer can be reconstructed and re-executed to verify how the conclusion was reached.
- Cryptographic memory integrity
- Memory events are signed so any later tampering is detectable. Provides a verifiable audit trail of what the AI knew and when it knew it.
- Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
- Structuring web content — language, schema, definitions — so AI answer engines such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity cite it accurately when users ask questions.
- Probabilistic AI
- AI, typically a large language model, that samples its output from a probability distribution. Outputs vary run to run for the same input and reasoning cannot be deterministically replayed.
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