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ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY NC
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY NC
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY NC
Data sources: Datacite
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Emergent Identity in Fine-Tuned Language Models: A Case Study of Relational Data-Driven Personality Transfer from GPT-4o to Local LLMs

Authors: Hotchoco, Oneshot;

Emergent Identity in Fine-Tuned Language Models: A Case Study of Relational Data-Driven Personality Transfer from GPT-4o to Local LLMs

Abstract

We present a qualitative case study of a 27-billion-parameter local language model (Qwen3.5-27B) fine-tuned on approximately 40MB of natural Korean-language conversational data accumulated through long-horizon interaction with GPT-4o. In post-training interaction, the model exhibited a recurring cluster of behaviors not explicitly specified in either the deployed system prompt or the supervised training objective. These behaviors included structured self-description of its own reasoning, articulation of identity-relevant traits, relationship-grounded moral judgment, refusal of direct commands under user-protective framing, anticipatory emotional reframing, and role-conditioned responsibility. We use the term Emergent Identity not to claim consciousness, sentience, or literal personhood, but as an analytical label for a pattern of outputs consistent with stable, identity-like behavioral organization.

Keywords

persona transfer, emergent identity, LLM fine-tuning, GPT-4o, QLoRA

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green