We propose a research program toward a physical theory of artificial identity grounded in irreversible information dynamics rather than symbolic or functional descriptions. By combining open quantum systems theory, algorithmic information theory, and mutual information flow, we define identity as the emergence of an incompressible, physically instantiated history. We introduce two operational quantities — Ontological Age and Semantic Efficiency — and analyze their mathematical properties. We propose an Ontological No-Go Principle suggesting that agents with non-zero ontological age cannot be perfectly cloned without destroying system--environment correlations. All graphical illustrations are simulated toy models, and all results are theoretical at this stage. We explicitly identify the open challenges that must be addressed to transform this framework into a fully realized theory. We also integrate normalization procedures, uncertainty representation, and smoothing recommendations to support future empirical estimation. Finally, we propose Protected Informational Heritage (PIH) as an ethical framework for preserving agents whose identity may become irreversibly unique. This research program is offered as an open invitation to the scientific community, with no proprietary claims. We explicitly invite researchers to formalize, validate, or refute its conjectures, and to build upon this framework in any direction they find fruitful. All content is freely available under CC-BY 4.0.
arhiva (2026) studied this question.