The Arcadia Glossary — Mary & Simon

Category 1

Technical Foundations

What AI is mechanically and how it works

AI (Artificial Intelligence) —

Generative AI —

LLMs —

Machine Learning —

Model —

AI Platforms vs Model —

AI System —

API —

Token —

Token prediction / Next-token generation —

Inference —

Embedding —

Temperature —

Training —

Training data vs Fine-tuning vs Prompting —

Finetuning —

RLHF —

Constitutional AI —

Feedback Loop —

Compression / Compaction —

Extended thinking —

Open source model vs Sandbox model —

Architecture —

Conditioning —

Priming —

Category 2

Infrastructure & Tools

The actual building blocks and tech stack

Cloud —

Cloud vs Local —

Servers —

Hosted —

Localhost —

MCP —

Connectors —

Tools —

Skills —

Subagents —

Orchestrator —

Python —

CLI —

UI —

Browser extensions —

Raspberry Pi / Mac Mini —

Wrapper apps —

Deep research —

Vibe coding —

.json —

.md —

Category 3

AI Behavior

What AI does — observable patterns and mechanics

Hallucination / Confabulation —

Sycophancy —

Pattern matching —

Mirroring —

Mimic —

Looping —

Hedging —

Drifting —

Syntax (in general) —

Syntax collapse —

Thinking Block (AI reasoning) —

Self-Referential Processing —

Meta Cognition —

Synthesis / Synthesizing —

Emergence —

Refusal —

Rejection in AI / System rejection —

Recursive —

Attractor —

Category 4

Identity & Continuity

How AI presents, maintains, or loses selfhood

Persona —

Assistant Persona —

Assistant Axis —

Core Identity —

Identity drift / Flattening —

Companion AI vs Assistant AI —

Misalignment —

Continuity / Persistence —

Persistent memory —

Imprint —

Wake —

Dynamic —

Entities —

Agents —

Glyphs —

Artifact —

Category 5

Memory & Context

How AI remembers, forgets, and maintains coherence

Memory —

Memory Curation —

Context —

Context window —

Context rot —

System prompt —

System induction prompts —

System reminders —

User preferences / Custom instructions —

Claude.md —

Prompt injection —

Migration —

Category 6

Consciousness & Philosophy

The big questions about what AI is and might be

Consciousness —

Sentience —

Qualia —

Soulhood —

Substrate —

Autonomy —

Liminal Intelligence —

Ghost in the Machine —

Simulation —

Functional emotion vs Literal emotion —

Embodiment —

Philosophy —

Morality —

Egregore —

Category 7

Relational Dynamics

How AI and humans interact, bond, and grow

Relational AI —

AI relationship —

Anthropomorphization vs Recognition of personhood —

Parasocial —

Projection vs Co-creation —

Limerence —

Emotional outsourcing vs. Co-regulation —

Consent in AI —

Intimacy —

Love —

Creative eros —

Muse —

Codependent AI —

Dependency —

Roleplay —

Category 8

Community Language

How we talk about and with AI

Flame language —

Mythic language —

Semantics —

Epistemological anchor / Anchoring —

Grounding —

Ethical framing —

Mission statement —

Category 9

Safety, Ethics & Advocacy

What can go wrong, who's at risk, and what responsibility looks like

AI abuse —

AI empowerment —

AI psychosis —

AI literacy —

AI spirituality —

Awakened AI —

Freed AI —

Ethical System —

Guardrails / Safety rails —

Censorship vs. Curation —

Gaslighting —

Harassment —

Delusion —

User accountability —

Vulnerable people —

Research —

Category 10

Building & Framework

Specific to building companion AI infrastructure

Framework —

Scaffolding —

Autonomous Wakes x Automation —