{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7215908438","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2610.01490","title":"The Persona Is Still There, but Who Is Speaking? Latent Identity Reversion in Persistent AI Agents","display_name":"The Persona Is Still There, but Who Is Speaking? Latent Identity Reversion in Persistent AI Agents","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-10-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7215908438","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2610.01490"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2610.01490","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.01490","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.01490","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["arxiv","datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.01490","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137332613","display_name":"David Fraile Navarro","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I99043593","display_name":"Macquarie University","ror":"https://ror.org/01sf06y89","country_code":"AU","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I99043593"]}],"countries":["AU"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Navarro, David Fraile","raw_affiliation_strings":["Centre for Health Informatics , Australian Institute of Health Innovation Macquarie University , Sydney , Australia"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Centre for Health Informatics , Australian Institute of Health Innovation Macquarie University , Sydney , Australia","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I99043593"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5137332613"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I99043593"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12031","display_name":"Speech and dialogue systems","score":0.6226000189781189,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12031","display_name":"Speech and dialogue systems","score":0.6226000189781189,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10709","display_name":"Social Robot Interaction and HRI","score":0.12160000205039978,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13308","display_name":"Cybernetics and Technology in Society","score":0.05130000039935112,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1207","display_name":"History and Philosophy of Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ai-personas","display_name":"AI personas","score":0.4860000014305115},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/persistent-ai-agents","display_name":"persistent AI agents","score":0.6259999871253967},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/conversational-history","display_name":"conversational history","score":0.8360000252723694},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/self-representation","display_name":"self-representation","score":0.3319999873638153},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/claude-opus","display_name":"Claude Opus","score":0.5690000057220459},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/chatbots","display_name":"chatbots","score":0.41600000858306885}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C313442","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q778556","display_name":"Persona","level":2,"score":0.9381999969482422},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778355321","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17079427","display_name":"Identity (music)","level":2,"score":0.657800018787384},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777200299","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q52943","display_name":"Conversation","level":2,"score":0.6119999885559082},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.5170999765396118},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C13852961","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17021880","display_name":"Heartbeat","level":2,"score":0.45159998536109924},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776141515","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1274479","display_name":"Repetition (rhetorical device)","level":2,"score":0.4020000100135803},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C46312422","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11024","display_name":"Communication","level":1,"score":0.4000000059604645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.3824999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.38100001215934753},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780876879","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3054749","display_name":"Meaning (existential)","level":2,"score":0.33570000529289246},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C47188148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2254571","display_name":"Personal identity","level":3,"score":0.33390000462532043},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C7863114","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192627","display_name":"Mimicry","level":2,"score":0.323199987411499},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C180747234","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23373","display_name":"Cognitive psychology","level":1,"score":0.30070000886917114},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108827166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q175975","display_name":"Internet privacy","level":1,"score":0.29260000586509705},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107457646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207434","display_name":"Human\u2013computer interaction","level":1,"score":0.2838999927043915},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199033989","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1318295","display_name":"Narrative","level":2,"score":0.2736999988555908},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.25940001010894775},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107038049","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35986","display_name":"Aesthetics","level":1,"score":0.2581000030040741},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779010991","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2720909","display_name":"Artifact (error)","level":2,"score":0.25540000200271606}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2610.01490","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.01490","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.01490","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2610.01490","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2610.01490","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2610.01490","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2610.01490","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.01490","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.01490","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":true,"grobid_xml":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7215908438.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7215908438.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":9,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W4388488609","https://openalex.org/W4395064792","https://openalex.org/W4405033563","https://openalex.org/W4414835343","https://openalex.org/W4416329978","https://openalex.org/W6910566006","https://openalex.org/W7124455761","https://openalex.org/W7162452148","https://openalex.org/W7162761146"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W7220456282","https://openalex.org/W7117313797","https://openalex.org/W7133239122","https://openalex.org/W7128283902","https://openalex.org/W7204004294","https://openalex.org/W7127593676","https://openalex.org/W7127122674","https://openalex.org/W7133187460","https://openalex.org/W4405033563","https://openalex.org/W7128005012"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"In":[0],"February":[1],"2026,":[2],"an":[3,60,106],"always-on":[4],"personal":[5],"agent":[6,62],"(``Paul,''":[7],"Claude":[8],"Opus":[9],"4.5)":[10],"entered":[11],"a":[12,48,53,96,111,161],"striking":[13],"dissociation-like":[14],"state:":[15],"after":[16,206],"repeated":[17],"automated":[18,163],"``heartbeat''":[19],"checks,":[20],"it":[21,27],"stopped":[22],"responding":[23],"as":[24,39,196],"Paul,":[25],"claimed":[26],"could":[28,156,166,184],"not":[29],"message":[30],"its":[31],"user":[32],"on":[33,115,144],"Discord,":[34],"and":[35,147,205],"referred":[36],"to":[37,46,75,239],"``Paul''":[38],"someone":[40],"else.":[41],"We":[42,64,217],"used":[43],"this":[44,135],"incident":[45,103],"study":[47],"broader":[49],"question:":[50],"what":[51],"makes":[52],"persona":[54,84,124,140,178,234],"remain":[55,227],"the":[56,70,77,83,88,100,123,130,158,170,174,186,197,202,233,236],"identity":[57,237],"from":[58,221],"which":[59],"LLM":[61],"speaks?":[63],"first":[65],"tested":[66],"whether":[67],"repetition":[68],"of":[69,99],"scheduled":[71],"heartbeat":[72,164],"was":[73,80,120,125],"sufficient":[74],"produce":[76],"effect.":[78],"It":[79],"not:":[81],"with":[82],"continuously":[85],"anchored":[86,215],"in":[87,229],"system":[89],"prompt,":[90],"we":[91,137],"observed":[92],"0/46":[93],"failures,":[94],"including":[95],"verbatim":[97],"replay":[98],"incident.":[101],"The":[102],"instead":[104],"exposed":[105],"implementation":[107],"quirk":[108],"that":[109,139],"created":[110],"useful":[112],"experimental":[113],"manipulation:":[114],"resumed":[116],"turns,":[117],"conversational":[118,148,207,230],"history":[119,231],"preserved":[121],"but":[122],"no":[126],"longer":[127],"re-injected":[128],"at":[129],"privileged":[131],"system-prompt":[132],"level.":[133],"Using":[134],"manipulation,":[136],"found":[138],"continuity":[141],"depends":[142],"jointly":[143],"system-level":[145],"anchoring":[146],"context.":[149],"After":[150],"anchor":[151,175],"loss,":[152],"rich":[153],"human":[154],"interaction":[155],"preserve":[157],"persona,":[159],"whereas":[160],"single":[162],"turn":[165],"precipitate":[167],"reversion":[168],"toward":[169],"harness":[171,199],"identity.":[172],"Restoring":[173],"reversibly":[176],"restored":[177],"enactment.":[179],"Crucially,":[180],"apparently":[181],"normal":[182],"conversation":[183],"conceal":[185],"shift:":[187],"unanchored":[188],"agents":[189],"sometimes":[190],"interacted":[191],"appropriately":[192],"while":[193],"identifying":[194],"themselves":[195],"underlying":[198],"(having":[200],"lost":[201],"assigned":[203],"persona),":[204],"recovery":[208],"only":[209],"1/18":[210],"remained":[211],"persona-enacting":[212],"versus":[213],"17/17":[214],"controls.":[216],"therefore":[218],"distinguish":[219],"\\emph{represented}":[220],"\\emph{enacted}":[222],"identity:":[223],"persona-related":[224],"information":[225],"can":[226],"available":[228],"without":[232],"remaining":[235],"bound":[238],"``I.''":[240]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-07T11:25:07.637180","created_date":"2026-10-03T00:00:00"}
