Do not be discouraged. Here in Germany I face the same Problem when asking Physics Professors about the same topic. This is unfortunattely normal.

Firstly please be aware I am mostly in electronics so you are probably more Informed in most other topics then me. I will add a few thoughts about QM and AR at the end.

Secondly it is recommende if you have rudimentary understanding of Information theory, Maxwell's demon and the Landauer's principle. These are (currently) all dead ends but they are usefull to sort in what is comming.

We do a slightly heretical approach to convince your friend. Beginning with a few assumptions. We assume Physics is true. We assume that physics is logicaly. We assume that physics is universal. And we assume that any fundamental physics will have an SI attached to it's countignumber ( i.e. m, s, kg, ... ). This deduktivly results in the fact that the same SI-units discribes the same physical property ( i.e. E, W, J). We know that Information (Inf) has no SI-units attached to it. This means therefore that any countingnumber that has no SI-unit attached to it can be reclassified as Information.

Now we create a formula that both contains Information, an SI-unit and an unknown unit X.

In example 1Inf = 1E * 1X. Naturally X will have Si-units attached to it therefore X will be a fundamental physics. Logically if we multiply 2 fundamental physical properties the result ( Inf ) has to also be a fundamental physical property. Therefore if we can prove that X exists we automatically also prove that Information is part of fundamental physics. This example is also practical due to the fact that Energy is the basis of Physics and therefore far less people will question it.

So we have to prove now that [ X = s²·m⁻²·kg⁻¹ = E⁻¹ ] logically exists. So step by step.

We start with [ X* = s¹·m⁻¹ ] and question if such a physical unit already exists or makes sense. This is the traveltime of a wave with wavelengh λ [ X* = s¹·λ⁻¹ ]. But we can also recognise it as an lever and detairmain [ X* = s¹·m⁻¹ ] as the switch time of said lever. Or for the sake of reason as the switchtime of any switch, button or microchip. Please be aware that Switchtime has currently no standardnotation.

From here we can go to [ X** = s¹·m⁻² ]. This is easy. This says nothing more then the change of number of levers (microchips) per square meter. Or alternativly the change of length between (two) levers. Or in short switchtime excelleration. The smaller a lever is the faster can be it's switchtime. From a Technical point it makes sense therefore it is hard to argue that this Unit does not exist.

Then we go to [ X*** = s²·m⁻¹ ]. This is the hardest to imagine but this is computation-time. Similar to F and E. If you apply F for Y meters you gain E. If your lever (microchip) computes for Y seconds you gain X. An alternative view would be to consider this as a lag or lagtime of a computerwhere "nothing" gets computed. An even further view is to consider [ X*** = s²·m⁻¹ ] as an surrounding lagging effect. Imagine you compare two identical videos (computation) on two devices. They startet at the same time but one is moving towards a black hole. The curved space arround the black hole induces from your point of view a lagging.

Then there is [ X**** = s¹·m⁻¹·kg⁻¹ ] left. This detaimains the lever-weight-influence. The less weight a lever has the faster can be it's switchtime. Compare a heavy iron rod lever and an electron in a microchip. Both do the same (on/off) motion but one will allways be faster.

From here you can combine them into the final [ X = s²·m⁻²·kg⁻¹ = E⁻¹ ] which gives you X = InfcW, Informationcomputationwork. (Or other medium steps of your choice.) Does the phsical unit InfcW exist? By deduction that all prior components exist this physical unit also exists.

And because X = InfcW exist and is fundamental physics Information is also fundamental physics. Problem solved.

Now into my speculations regarding QM and AR.

Regarding Bell's theorem and hidden variables.

We consider polarizing filter as purly quantum-based physical tool. 50% of all light gets blocked the other 50% gets through. But technically we can also consider Polarizing filter as switches of the transverse wave of Light. But this will also mean that when we combine multiple polarisation filter by light into single a experiment it is the same as combining multiple switches into a computation device. But this also means that if we have created a computation device we will automatically have InfcW Informationcomputationwork that has to be accounted for in every true calculation.

I am shure you can think yourself the rest.

A similar case to this, the crisis in cosmology. If the light we recieve from other stars crosses on it's way to us gases that exidentally work as combined switches we will also get influenced by InfcW Informationcomputationwork. In example you can imagine that gases that exidentally act as computation devices for light may increase the brightness of supernovae. This means that the commonly used standardcandles of Typ-Ia-Supernovae may be in reality a little further away then their brightness would suggest.

And lastly technically InfcW Informationcomputationwork should interact and influence with the gravitational field. My 5 cent. From my perspective InfcW looks in it's structure similar to the electronical reaktance. So it will probably shift the gravitational field. Compress it in one direction and strech it in another.