# Runtime-Independent Persistent Agents: Preserving Identity, Memory, and Code Across Models, Harnesses, and Servers

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.00546 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.00546/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 10 of its 21 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 1 Sep 2026.

## Builds on (most cited first, 10 of 10)

- [Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.03442/) (2023)
- [Voyager: An Open-Ended Embodied Agent with Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.16291/) (2023)
- [AutoGen: Enabling Next-Gen LLM Applications via Multi-Agent Conversation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.08155/) (2023)
- [Autogenesis: A Self-Evolving Agent Protocol](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.15034/) (2026)
- [MOSS: Self-Evolution through Source-Level Rewriting in Autonomous Agent Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.22794/) (2026)
- [Agent Identity Evals: Measuring Agentic Identity](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.17257/) (2025)
- [Portable Agent Memory: A Protocol for Cryptographically-Verified Memory Transfer Across Heterogeneous AI Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.11032/) (2026)
- [Beyond Memory: A Transactional Continuity Kernel for Long-Lived AI Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.11632/) (2026)
- [Code Is the Body: Agent-Owned Software Bodies for Recursive Evolution and Descent](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.28691/) (2026)
- [Persistent Identity in AI Agents: A Multi-Anchor Architecture for Resilient Memory and Continuity](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.09588/) (2026)

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [SoulAuth: An Actor-native Identity Architecture and Rust Reference Implementation for Humans and Long-lived AI Actors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.11258/) (2026)
- [Identity Is More Than Recall: A Benchmark for Persistent Identity in Deployed AI Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.13637/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Long-lived AI agents may replace their models, orchestration harnesses, interaction surfaces and hosts while retaining identity, memory and executable body lineage. We present a runtime-independent architecture that separates a continuity-bearing substrate Pt=(It,Mt,Bt) from replaceable execution and interaction bindings. Six continuity invariants and a quiesce--checkpoint--validate--bind--rehydrate--resume protocol govern state preservation, capability changes and continuation authority. Enoch implements the design through a reusable software body, private installed state, provider contracts and fenced migration. We report complementary evidence from frozen implementation snapshots and three kinds of live study. An operational case retains an established instance's identity, nonempty memory, body revision and historical task IDs across host, joint Codex-to-Claude model/harness, and chat-surface substitutions. A separate cross-host task resumes from a verified artifact checkpoint. A supervised Codex--Muse--Codex study completes five ordinary round trips and five matched same-runtime controls on their first attempts after a separate qualification run. A planned worker interruption recovers through the native task API with the checkpoint preserved, a stale reply rejected and one task completion recorded. These results support mechanical continuity for the tested deployments and bounded workflows. They do not establish behavioral equivalence, arbitrary-task portability, general exactly-once external effects or unattended reliability.