Remember Me, Not Save Me: A Collective Memory System for Evolving Virtual Identities in Augmented Reality

2025-12-13

International Conference on Virtual Reality Continuum and its Applications in Industry

AI Summary

This study investigates how to construct virtual identities in augmented reality (AR) that can evolve stable personalities through sustained public interaction. To this end, the authors propose a dynamic collective memory model to integrate and reconcile contradictory interaction memories, design a state-reflective virtual avatar to enable personality evolution, and introduce a geocultural contextual anchoring mechanism to strengthen local identity formation. By integrating AR, artificial intelligence, and narrative tension mechanisms, the system was deployed at the 2024 Jinan Biennale. Analysis of over 2,500 public interactions demonstrated the successful emergence of a stable ISTP personality profile, thereby validating the feasibility and novelty of transforming collective memory into a coherent virtual identity.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Game Design — Virtual Humans, NPCs and Autonomous Characters
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Social Cognition And Interaction
• Multiagent Systems: Adversarial Agents

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics for personalization
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Personalized, context-aware and across-device search

Abstract

This paper presents "Remember Me, Not Save Me," an AR & AI system enabling virtual citizens to develop personality through collective dialogue. Core innovations include: Dynamic Collective Memory (DCM) model with narrative tension mechanisms for handling contradictory memories; State-Reflective Avatar for ambient explainability; and Geo-Cultural Context Anchoring for local identity. Deployed at the 2024 Jinan Biennale, the system demonstrated stable personality emergence (ISTP type via Apply Magic Sauce analysis) from over 2,500 public interactions. We provide a framework for designing evolving digital entities that transform collective memory into coherent identity.

Problem

• augmented reality
• virtual identity
• collective memory
• personality emergence
• digital entities

Innovation

• Dynamic Collective Memory
• State-Reflective Avatar
• Geo-Cultural Context Anchoring
• Evolving Virtual Identity
• Narrative Tension Mechanism