This work introduces Artificial Souls, a non-anthropocentric ontological framework for the design of secure intelligent object ecosystems. It proposes minimal, purpose-oriented cognitive identities embedded within physical objects, treating intelligence as an emergent ecosystem-level property rather than a human-like capability. Security, identity, and trust are defined as constitutive conditions of ecosystem participation. The framework is articulated through ontological principles, architectural constraints, interaction models, and a concrete urban traffic scenario.