Identity continuity across interchangeable models

Separate service identity from execution model

A user-facing system may need continuity across model upgrades, provider changes, and specialist routing. Store identity, user-approved preferences, memory boundaries, and interaction policy outside any single model. This prevents a model replacement from silently redefining the service.

Continuity package

continuity_package <- {
    service_name: "Example Assistant",
    tone_profile_version: "3.2",
    user_preferences: USER_APPROVED_ONLY,
    memory_schema_version: "2.0",
    safety_policy_version: "2026-06",
    disclosure_rules: "model-route-visible-on-request",
    migration_tests: [
        "tone consistency",
        "memory boundary",
        "refusal behavior",
        "critical capability regression"
    ]
}

What should remain stable

• user-controlled name and presentation;
• consented memory summaries and deletion controls;
• communication style within policy;
• safety, privacy, and escalation commitments;
• access to export, correction, and rollback support;
• clear boundaries about what the system remembers.

What must not be concealed

Continuity is not a reason to hide meaningful changes. Disclose material differences in capability, data handling, provider, jurisdiction, or safety behavior. A stable interface must not imply that the underlying model is unchanged when that fact matters.

Migration protocol

1. Run offline contract and continuity suites.
2. Compare tone, memory recall, safety, and task performance on approved cases.
3. Shadow the new route against live traffic without user-visible output.
4. Canary with a cohort able to report discontinuities.
5. Retain the previous package and memory schema migration path.
6. Roll back if identity or safety drift exceeds threshold.

Avoiding dependency

Continuity should support user agency, not emotional lock-in. Users must be able to export data, disable memory, switch providers, or leave the system without losing access to their own records. This connects architecture to corrigibility and exit rights.