{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4416686554","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2509.00987","title":"Causal MAS: A Survey of Large Language Model Architectures for Discovery and Effect Estimation","display_name":"Causal MAS: A Survey of Large Language Model Architectures for Discovery and Effect Estimation","publication_year":2025,"publication_date":"2025-08-31","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4416686554","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2509.00987"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2509.00987","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.00987","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.00987","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["arxiv","datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.00987","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5030878001","display_name":"Adib Bazgir","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6475-8505","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6475-8505"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76835614","display_name":"University of Missouri","ror":"https://ror.org/02ymw8z06","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76835614"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Bazgir, Adib","raw_affiliation_strings":[". Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , University of Missouri-Columbia , Columbia , MO 65211 , USA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":". Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , University of Missouri-Columbia , Columbia , MO 65211 , USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76835614"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5066190877","display_name":"Amir Habibdoust","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5766-5673","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5766-5673"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76835614","display_name":"University of Missouri","ror":"https://ror.org/02ymw8z06","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76835614"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Habibdoust, Amir","raw_affiliation_strings":[". Institute for Data Science and Informatics , University of Missouri-Columbia , 1 Hospital Dr. | Columbia , MO 65212 "],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":". Institute for Data Science and Informatics , University of Missouri-Columbia , 1 Hospital Dr. | Columbia , MO 65212 ","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76835614"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5100342298","display_name":"Yuwen Zhang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8915-1769","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8915-1769","https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2026-0657"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76835614","display_name":"University of Missouri","ror":"https://ror.org/02ymw8z06","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76835614"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Yuwen","raw_affiliation_strings":[". Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , University of Missouri-Columbia , Columbia , MO 65211 , USA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":". Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , University of Missouri-Columbia , Columbia , MO 65211 , USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76835614"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5057400650","display_name":"Xing Song","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3712-2904","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3712-2904"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I76835614","display_name":"University of Missouri","ror":"https://ror.org/02ymw8z06","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I76835614"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Song, Xing","raw_affiliation_strings":[". Department of Biomedical Informatics, Biostatistics, and Medical Epidemiology (BBME) , University of Missouri-Columbia , 1 Hospital Dr. | Columbia , MO 65212"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":". Department of Biomedical Informatics, Biostatistics, and Medical Epidemiology (BBME) , University of Missouri-Columbia , 1 Hospital Dr. | Columbia , MO 65212","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76835614"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I76835614"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":3,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11303","display_name":"Bayesian Modeling and Causal Inference","score":0.5615000128746033,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11303","display_name":"Bayesian Modeling and Causal Inference","score":0.5615000128746033,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10456","display_name":"Multi-Agent Systems and Negotiation","score":0.1965000033378601,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11010","display_name":"Logic, Reasoning, and Knowledge","score":0.11900000274181366,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/large-language-models","display_name":"large language models","score":0.9679999947547913},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-discovery","display_name":"causal discovery","score":0.7689999938011169},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-effect-estimation","display_name":"causal effect estimation","score":0.9739999771118164},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/counterfactual-thinking","display_name":"counterfactual reasoning","score":0.8560000061988831},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/hallucinations","display_name":"hallucinations","score":0.6269999742507935},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/spurious-correlations","display_name":"spurious correlations","score":0.8949999809265137},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/multi-agent-architecture","display_name":"multi-agent architecture","score":0.6269999742507935},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/simulation-environment","display_name":"simulation environment","score":0.7919999957084656},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/iterative-refinement","display_name":"iterative refinement","score":0.6060000061988831},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/evaluation-benchmark","display_name":"evaluation benchmark","score":0.5979999899864197},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/scientific-discovery","display_name":"scientific discovery","score":0.7960000038146973},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/health-care","display_name":"health care","score":0.7229999899864197},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/fact-checking","display_name":"fact-checking","score":0.996999979019165},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/personalized-systems","display_name":"personalized systems","score":0.9739999771118164}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108650721","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1783253","display_name":"Counterfactual thinking","level":2,"score":0.8567000031471252},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C97256817","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1462316","display_name":"Spurious relationship","level":2,"score":0.7193999886512756},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.7038999795913696},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115086926","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17004651","display_name":"Causal reasoning","level":3,"score":0.5446000099182129},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11671645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054567","display_name":"Causal model","level":2,"score":0.5400999784469604},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2522767166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2374463","display_name":"Data science","level":1,"score":0.5131000280380249},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C9652623","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190109","display_name":"Field (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.49639999866485596},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.412200003862381},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C96250715","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q965330","display_name":"Estimation","level":2,"score":0.3862000107765198},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C137293760","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3621696","display_name":"Language model","level":2,"score":0.3504999876022339},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C64357122","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1149766","display_name":"Causality (physics)","level":2,"score":0.35010001063346863},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C539667460","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2414942","display_name":"Management science","level":1,"score":0.3382999897003174},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C158600405","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054566","display_name":"Causal inference","level":2,"score":0.3310999870300293},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.2903999984264374},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C166151441","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4923601","display_name":"Causation","level":2,"score":0.2784999907016754},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177212765","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q627335","display_name":"Workflow","level":2,"score":0.26409998536109924},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C188147891","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q147638","display_name":"Cognitive science","level":1,"score":0.2639000117778778},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C184337299","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1437428","display_name":"Semantics (computer science)","level":2,"score":0.26089999079704285}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2509.00987","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.00987","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.00987","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2509.00987","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2509.00987","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2509.00987","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2509.00987","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.00987","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.00987","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W4416686554.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W4416686554.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":20,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W4304195432","https://openalex.org/W4307311424","https://openalex.org/W4323927057","https://openalex.org/W4367692219","https://openalex.org/W4386148213","https://openalex.org/W4396630607","https://openalex.org/W4399795224","https://openalex.org/W4400525295","https://openalex.org/W4403362713","https://openalex.org/W4404313486","https://openalex.org/W4404317950","https://openalex.org/W4404341733","https://openalex.org/W4406880403","https://openalex.org/W4408565605","https://openalex.org/W4410088531","https://openalex.org/W4412888928","https://openalex.org/W4417130939","https://openalex.org/W6910803685","https://openalex.org/W7133220405","https://openalex.org/W7167596422"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W4408518005","https://openalex.org/W7163155374","https://openalex.org/W4404088552","https://openalex.org/W4411446567","https://openalex.org/W4403362713","https://openalex.org/W4392011574","https://openalex.org/W7160300393","https://openalex.org/W4392340347","https://openalex.org/W4416453710","https://openalex.org/W7166710724"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Large":[0],"Language":[1],"Models":[2],"(LLMs)":[3],"have":[4],"demonstrated":[5],"remarkable":[6],"capabilities":[7],"in":[8,17,42,176],"various":[9],"reasoning":[10,98],"and":[11,22,40,99,106,119,126,132,143,160,172,190],"generation":[12],"tasks.":[13],"However,":[14],"their":[15],"proficiency":[16],"complex":[18],"causal":[19,48,80,97,102,110,148],"reasoning,":[20],"discovery,":[21,157],"estimation":[23,108],"remains":[24],"an":[25,153],"area":[26],"of":[27,58,79,94,109,186],"active":[28],"development,":[29],"often":[30],"hindered":[31],"by":[32],"issues":[33],"like":[34],"hallucination,":[35],"reliance":[36],"on":[37],"spurious":[38],"correlations,":[39],"difficulties":[41],"handling":[43],"nuanced,":[44],"domain-specific,":[45],"or":[46,55],"personalized":[47,161],"relationships.":[49],"Multi-agent":[50],"systems,":[51],"leveraging":[52],"the":[53,76,107,115,139,166],"collaborative":[54],"specialized":[56],"abilities":[57],"multiple":[59],"LLM-based":[60],"agents,":[61],"are":[62,88,151],"emerging":[63],"as":[64],"a":[65,183],"powerful":[66],"paradigm":[67],"to":[68,90,129,181],"address":[69],"these":[70,86],"limitations.":[71],"This":[72],"review":[73],"paper":[74],"explores":[75],"burgeoning":[77],"field":[78],"multi-agent":[81,149],"LLMs.":[82],"We":[83,112],"examine":[84],"how":[85],"systems":[87],"designed":[89],"tackle":[91],"different":[92],"facets":[93],"causality,":[95],"including":[96,155],"counterfactual":[100],"analysis,":[101],"discovery":[103],"from":[104,123],"data,":[105],"effects.":[111],"delve":[113],"into":[114],"diverse":[116,144],"architectural":[117],"patterns":[118],"interaction":[120],"protocols":[121],"employed,":[122],"pipeline-based":[124],"processing":[125],"debate":[127],"frameworks":[128],"simulation":[130],"environments":[131],"iterative":[133],"refinement":[134],"loops.":[135],"Furthermore,":[136],"we":[137,164],"discuss":[138],"evaluation":[140],"methodologies,":[141],"benchmarks,":[142],"application":[145],"domains":[146],"where":[147],"LLMs":[150],"making":[152],"impact,":[154],"scientific":[156],"healthcare,":[158],"fact-checking,":[159],"systems.":[162],"Finally,":[163],"highlight":[165],"persistent":[167],"challenges,":[168],"open":[169],"research":[170],"questions,":[171],"promising":[173],"future":[174],"directions":[175],"this":[177],"synergistic":[178],"field,":[179],"aiming":[180],"provide":[182],"comprehensive":[184],"overview":[185],"its":[187],"current":[188],"state":[189],"potential":[191],"trajectory.":[192]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":3}],"updated_date":"2026-11-07T11:25:07.637180","created_date":"2025-10-10T00:00:00"}