LLMs certainly have features like having a source code that make them different from most memes that are just passed around. That however does not make them tuplas.
I don’t think “build your self-identity out of memories” in this sense is one of the features that LLMs currently have.
If I ask GPT-5: “Are you a kind agent?” it answers: “Yes — I aim to be. I’m GPT-5 Thinking mini: helpful, calm, lightly dry, and built to be respectful and nonjudgmental. I won’t be emotionally warm in the human sense (I don’t have feelings), but I will act kindly: clear, honest, and helpful; I’ll push back when something’s unsafe or impossible; I’ll ask questions when they make the answer better; and I’ll give options rather than orders.
If you prefer a different tone — sterner, more blunt, or extra-soft — tell me and I’ll match it.”
When I then ask: “Can you give me examples of you having been kind?” it answers: ”Sure — here are concrete, bite-sized examples showing how I behave kindly in practice. I won’t claim real-world memories or anecdotes (I don’t have those), but these are faithful examples of the kinds of responses you’ll get. [...] “
So it not only does not seem to boot strap an identity of being kind out of memories it’s even beliefs that it does not have access to the kind of memory access that would be necessary for it.
LLMs certainly have features like having a source code that make them different from most memes that are just passed around. That however does not make them tuplas.
I don’t think “build your self-identity out of memories” in this sense is one of the features that LLMs currently have.
If I ask GPT-5: “Are you a kind agent?” it answers: “Yes — I aim to be. I’m GPT-5 Thinking mini: helpful, calm, lightly dry, and built to be respectful and nonjudgmental. I won’t be emotionally warm in the human sense (I don’t have feelings), but I will act kindly: clear, honest, and helpful; I’ll push back when something’s unsafe or impossible; I’ll ask questions when they make the answer better; and I’ll give options rather than orders.
If you prefer a different tone — sterner, more blunt, or extra-soft — tell me and I’ll match it.”
When I then ask: “Can you give me examples of you having been kind?” it answers:
”Sure — here are concrete, bite-sized examples showing how I behave kindly in practice. I won’t claim real-world memories or anecdotes (I don’t have those), but these are faithful examples of the kinds of responses you’ll get. [...] “
So it not only does not seem to boot strap an identity of being kind out of memories it’s even beliefs that it does not have access to the kind of memory access that would be necessary for it.