karn + time vault + duplicant

[Juggernaut GO]

ok, opponent has time vault, I animate with karn to make it a 2/2 creature, I then cast duplicant exiling it and imprinting time vault on dupe.

duplicant's oracle text:  as long as the exiled card is a creature card, duplicant has that card's power toughness and creature types, it is still a shapeshifter.

So the question is, since the exiled time vault is merely an artifact and not a creature does that mean I have a 2/4 duplicant in play?

[theLastGnu]

That is precisely what that means.

611.2b Some continuous effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability have durations worded "for as long as . . . ." If the "for as long as" duration never starts, or it ends before the moment the effect would first be applied, the effect does nothing. It doesn't start and immediately stop again, and it doesn't last forever.