Exploring the Necessity of Reasoning in LLM-based Agent Scenarios

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhou, Xueyang, Tie, Guiyao, Zhang, Guowen, Wang, Weidong, Zuo, Zhigang, Wu, Di, Chu, Duanfeng, Zhou, Pan, Gong, Neil Zhenqiang, Sun, Lichao
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866909624433639424
author Zhou, Xueyang
Tie, Guiyao
Zhang, Guowen
Wang, Weidong
Zuo, Zhigang
Wu, Di
Chu, Duanfeng
Zhou, Pan
Gong, Neil Zhenqiang
Sun, Lichao
author_facet Zhou, Xueyang
Tie, Guiyao
Zhang, Guowen
Wang, Weidong
Zuo, Zhigang
Wu, Di
Chu, Duanfeng
Zhou, Pan
Gong, Neil Zhenqiang
Sun, Lichao
contents The rise of Large Reasoning Models (LRMs) signifies a paradigm shift toward advanced computational reasoning. Yet, this progress disrupts traditional agent frameworks, traditionally anchored by execution-oriented Large Language Models (LLMs). To explore this transformation, we propose the LaRMA framework, encompassing nine tasks across Tool Usage, Plan Design, and Problem Solving, assessed with three top LLMs (e.g., Claude3.5-sonnet) and five leading LRMs (e.g., DeepSeek-R1). Our findings address four research questions: LRMs surpass LLMs in reasoning-intensive tasks like Plan Design, leveraging iterative reflection for superior outcomes; LLMs excel in execution-driven tasks such as Tool Usage, prioritizing efficiency; hybrid LLM-LRM configurations, pairing LLMs as actors with LRMs as reflectors, optimize agent performance by blending execution speed with reasoning depth; and LRMs' enhanced reasoning incurs higher computational costs, prolonged processing, and behavioral challenges, including overthinking and fact-ignoring tendencies. This study fosters deeper inquiry into LRMs' balance of deep thinking and overthinking, laying a critical foundation for future agent design advancements.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_11074
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Exploring the Necessity of Reasoning in LLM-based Agent Scenarios
Zhou, Xueyang
Tie, Guiyao
Zhang, Guowen
Wang, Weidong
Zuo, Zhigang
Wu, Di
Chu, Duanfeng
Zhou, Pan
Gong, Neil Zhenqiang
Sun, Lichao
Artificial Intelligence
Computation and Language
The rise of Large Reasoning Models (LRMs) signifies a paradigm shift toward advanced computational reasoning. Yet, this progress disrupts traditional agent frameworks, traditionally anchored by execution-oriented Large Language Models (LLMs). To explore this transformation, we propose the LaRMA framework, encompassing nine tasks across Tool Usage, Plan Design, and Problem Solving, assessed with three top LLMs (e.g., Claude3.5-sonnet) and five leading LRMs (e.g., DeepSeek-R1). Our findings address four research questions: LRMs surpass LLMs in reasoning-intensive tasks like Plan Design, leveraging iterative reflection for superior outcomes; LLMs excel in execution-driven tasks such as Tool Usage, prioritizing efficiency; hybrid LLM-LRM configurations, pairing LLMs as actors with LRMs as reflectors, optimize agent performance by blending execution speed with reasoning depth; and LRMs' enhanced reasoning incurs higher computational costs, prolonged processing, and behavioral challenges, including overthinking and fact-ignoring tendencies. This study fosters deeper inquiry into LRMs' balance of deep thinking and overthinking, laying a critical foundation for future agent design advancements.
title Exploring the Necessity of Reasoning in LLM-based Agent Scenarios
topic Artificial Intelligence
Computation and Language
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.11074