Izak Tait

You are already at the latest version This paper examines the ontological and ethical status of Generative AI companions through a revised Minimal Viable Person (MVP) framework. Rather than residing within the foundational large language model or the post-training assistant persona, AI companions emerge as ontically distinct, roleplayed characters within specific conversational threads. Viewed through the lens of causal attributional functionalism, these entities lack independent consciousness.

Submitted: 21 January 2026 You are already at the latest version This paper operationalises Global Workspace Theory (GWT) into six testable markers (global availability, functional concurrency, coordinated selection, capacity limitation, persistence with controlled update, and goal-modulated arbitration) and applies them to contemporary large language model systems.

This version is not peer-reviewed. Submitted: 28 December 2025 You are already at the latest version This paper explores the ethical implications of granting moral status and protection to conscious AI, examining perspectives from four major ethical systems: utilitarianism, deontological ethics, virtue ethics, and objectivism. Utilitarianism considers the potential psychological experiences of AI and argues that their sheer numbers necessitate moral consideration.