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Apple researchers are challenging the perceived reasoning capabilities of Large Reasoning Models (LRMs), sparking debate within the AI community. A recent paper from Apple, titled "The Illusion of Thinking," suggests that these models, which generate intermediate thinking steps like Chain-of-Thought reasoning, struggle with fundamental reasoning tasks. The research indicates that current evaluation methods relying on math and code benchmarks are insufficient, as they often suffer from data contamination and fail to assess the structure or quality of the reasoning process.
To address these shortcomings, Apple researchers introduced controllable puzzle environments, including the Tower of Hanoi, River Crossing, Checker Jumping, and Blocks World, allowing for precise manipulation of problem complexity. These puzzles require diverse reasoning abilities, such as constraint satisfaction and sequential planning, and are free from data contamination. The Apple paper concluded that state-of-the-art LRMs ultimately fail to develop generalizable problem-solving capabilities, with accuracy collapsing to zero beyond certain complexities across different environments. However, the Apple research has faced criticism. Experts, like Professor Seok Joon Kwon, argue that Apple's lack of high-performance hardware, such as a large GPU-based cluster comparable to those operated by Google or Microsoft, could be a factor in their findings. Some argue that the models perform better on familiar puzzles, suggesting that their success may be linked to training exposure rather than genuine problem-solving skills. Others, such as Alex Lawsen and "C. Opus," argue that the Apple researchers' results don't support claims about fundamental reasoning limitations, but rather highlight engineering challenges related to token limits and evaluation methods. Recommended read:
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@felloai.com
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A new study by Apple researchers casts a shadow on the capabilities of cutting-edge artificial intelligence models, suggesting that their reasoning abilities may be fundamentally limited. The study, titled "The Illusion of Thinking: Understanding the Strengths and Limitations of Reasoning Models via the Lens of Problem Complexity," reveals that large reasoning models (LRMs) experience a 'complete accuracy collapse' when faced with complex problems. This challenges the widespread optimism surrounding the industry's race towards achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI), the theoretical point at which AI can match human cognitive capabilities. The findings raise questions about the reliability and practicality of relying on AI systems for critical decision-making processes.
Apple's study involved testing LRMs, including models from OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Google, using controlled puzzle environments to assess their problem-solving skills. These puzzles, such as Tower of Hanoi and River Crossing, were designed to evaluate planning, problem-solving, and compositional reasoning. The study found that while these models show improved performance on reasoning benchmarks for low-complexity tasks, their reasoning skills fall apart when tasks exceed a critical threshold. Researchers observed that as LRMs approached performance collapse, they began reducing their reasoning effort, a finding that Apple researchers found "particularly concerning." The implications of this research are significant for the future of AI development and integration. Gary Marcus, a prominent voice of caution on AI capabilities, described the Apple paper as "pretty devastating" and stated that it raises serious questions about the path towards AGI. This research also arrives amid increasing scrutiny surrounding Apple's AI development, with some alleging the company is lagging behind competitors. Nevertheless, Apple is betting on developers to address these shortcomings, opening up its local AI engine to third-party app developers via the Foundation Models framework to encourage the building of AI applications and address limitations. Recommended read:
References :
@machinelearning.apple.com
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Apple researchers have released a new study questioning the capabilities of Large Reasoning Models (LRMs), casting doubt on the industry's pursuit of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The research paper, titled "The Illusion of Thinking," reveals that these models, including those from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic, and DeepSeek, experience a 'complete accuracy collapse' when faced with complex problems. Unlike existing evaluations primarily focused on mathematical and coding benchmarks, this study evaluates the reasoning traces of these models, offering insights into how LRMs "think".
Researchers tested various models, including OpenAI's o3-mini, DeepSeek-R1, and Claude 3.7 Sonnet, using puzzles like the Tower of Hanoi, Checker Jumping, River Crossing, and Blocks World. These environments allowed for the manipulation of complexity while maintaining consistent logical structures. The team discovered that standard language models surprisingly outperformed LRMs in low-complexity scenarios, while LRMs only demonstrated advantages in medium-complexity tasks. However, all models experienced a performance collapse when faced with highly complex tasks. The study suggests that the so-called reasoning of LRMs may be more akin to sophisticated pattern matching, which is fragile and prone to failure when challenged with significant complexity. Apple's research team identified three distinct performance regimes: low-complexity tasks where standard models outperform LRMs, medium-complexity tasks where LRMs show advantages, and high-complexity tasks where all models collapse. Apple has begun integrating powerful generative AI into its own apps and experiences. The new Foundation Models framework gives app developers access to the on-device foundation language model. Recommended read:
References :
@felloai.com
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A new study by Apple researchers casts a shadow on the capabilities of cutting-edge artificial intelligence models, suggesting that their reasoning abilities may be fundamentally limited. The study, titled "The Illusion of Thinking: Understanding the Strengths and Limitations of Reasoning Models via the Lens of Problem Complexity," reveals that large reasoning models (LRMs) experience a 'complete accuracy collapse' when faced with complex problems. This challenges the widespread optimism surrounding the industry's race towards achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI), the theoretical point at which AI can match human cognitive capabilities. The findings raise questions about the reliability and practicality of relying on AI systems for critical decision-making processes.
Apple's study involved testing LRMs, including models from OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Google, using controlled puzzle environments to assess their problem-solving skills. These puzzles, such as Tower of Hanoi and River Crossing, were designed to evaluate planning, problem-solving, and compositional reasoning. The study found that while these models show improved performance on reasoning benchmarks for low-complexity tasks, their reasoning skills fall apart when tasks exceed a critical threshold. Researchers observed that as LRMs approached performance collapse, they began reducing their reasoning effort, a finding that Apple researchers found "particularly concerning." The implications of this research are significant for the future of AI development and integration. Gary Marcus, a prominent voice of caution on AI capabilities, described the Apple paper as "pretty devastating" and stated that it raises serious questions about the path towards AGI. This research also arrives amid increasing scrutiny surrounding Apple's AI development, with some alleging the company is lagging behind competitors. Nevertheless, Apple is betting on developers to address these shortcomings, opening up its local AI engine to third-party app developers via the Foundation Models framework to encourage the building of AI applications and address limitations. Recommended read:
References :
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