{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7141692408","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.25681","title":"Self-Improvement of Large Language Models: A Technical Overview and Future Outlook","display_name":"Self-Improvement of Large Language Models: A Technical Overview and Future Outlook","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-03-26","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7141692408","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.25681"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.25681","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.25681","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"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":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.25681","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5130781253","display_name":"Haoyan Yang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Yang, Haoyan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5039413597","display_name":"Mario Xerri","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3380-6268"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xerri, Mario","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5113015665","display_name":"Solha Park","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Park, Solha","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5130769715","display_name":"Huajian Zhang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Huajian","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5112265206","display_name":"Yiyang Feng","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1238-4382"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Feng, Yiyang","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128276231","display_name":"Sai Akhil Kogilathota","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Kogilathota, Sai Akhil","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5130721123","display_name":"Jiawei Zhou","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhou, Jiawei","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"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/T10028","display_name":"Topic Modeling","score":0.22110000252723694,"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/T10028","display_name":"Topic Modeling","score":0.22110000252723694,"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/T10181","display_name":"Natural Language Processing Techniques","score":0.09220000356435776,"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/T13629","display_name":"Text Readability and Simplification","score":0.0674000009894371,"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/process","display_name":"Process (computing)","score":0.6797999739646912},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/component","display_name":"Component (thermodynamics)","score":0.6159999966621399},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/perspective","display_name":"Perspective (graphical)","score":0.586899995803833},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/inference","display_name":"Inference","score":0.44279998540878296},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/language-model","display_name":"Language model","score":0.3621000051498413},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/iterative-and-incremental-development","display_name":"Iterative and incremental development","score":0.3336000144481659},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/natural-language","display_name":"Natural language","score":0.3260999917984009}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.7365000247955322},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C98045186","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205663","display_name":"Process (computing)","level":2,"score":0.6797999739646912},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168167062","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1117970","display_name":"Component (thermodynamics)","level":2,"score":0.6159999966621399},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C12713177","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1900281","display_name":"Perspective (graphical)","level":2,"score":0.586899995803833},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776214188","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q408386","display_name":"Inference","level":2,"score":0.44279998540878296},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.36399999260902405},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2522767166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2374463","display_name":"Data science","level":1,"score":0.36329999566078186},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C137293760","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3621696","display_name":"Language model","level":2,"score":0.3621000051498413},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C143587482","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1543216","display_name":"Iterative and incremental development","level":2,"score":0.3336000144481659},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C195324797","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q33742","display_name":"Natural language","level":2,"score":0.3260999917984009},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2993724205","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q315","display_name":"Human language","level":2,"score":0.3181000053882599},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C179603123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1941921","display_name":"Modeling language","level":3,"score":0.31709998846054077},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C195094911","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14167904","display_name":"Process management","level":1,"score":0.3111000061035156},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C539667460","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2414942","display_name":"Management science","level":1,"score":0.30469998717308044},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C67186912","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q367664","display_name":"Data modeling","level":2,"score":0.2924000024795532},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112930515","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4389547","display_name":"Risk analysis (engineering)","level":1,"score":0.2856000065803528},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C201995342","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q682496","display_name":"Systems engineering","level":1,"score":0.2849000096321106},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2983448237","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1078276","display_name":"Language understanding","level":2,"score":0.27649998664855957},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26517878","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228039","display_name":"Key (lock)","level":2,"score":0.2678000032901764},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107457646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207434","display_name":"Human\u2013computer interaction","level":1,"score":0.2678000032901764},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C9652623","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190109","display_name":"Field (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.26339998841285706}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.25681","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.25681","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"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":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.25681","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.25681","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"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":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"As":[0,22],"large":[1],"language":[2,108],"models":[3,23,50,86,109],"(LLMs)":[4],"continue":[5],"to":[6,51],"advance,":[7],"improving":[8],"them":[9],"solely":[10],"through":[11],"human":[12,30],"supervision":[13],"is":[14],"becoming":[15],"increasingly":[16],"costly":[17],"and":[18,55,77,92,110,140,173,184,198,214],"limited":[19],"in":[20,27,62,83,159],"scalability.":[21],"approach":[24],"human-level":[25],"capabilities":[26],"certain":[28],"domains,":[29],"feedback":[31],"may":[32],"no":[33],"longer":[34],"provide":[35],"sufficiently":[36],"informative":[37,168],"signals":[38],"for":[39,202,218],"further":[40,210],"improvement.":[41],"At":[42],"the":[43,46,66,121,152,177,186],"same":[44],"time,":[45],"growing":[47],"ability":[48],"of":[49,65,129],"make":[52],"autonomous":[53,146,178],"decisions":[54],"execute":[56],"complex":[57],"actions":[58],"naturally":[59],"enables":[60],"abstractions":[61],"which":[63],"components":[64],"model":[67,138,153],"development":[68],"process":[69],"can":[70],"be":[71],"progressively":[72],"automated.":[73],"Together,":[74],"these":[75],"challenges":[76],"opportunities":[78],"have":[79],"driven":[80],"increasing":[81],"interest":[82],"self-improvement,":[84],"where":[85],"autonomously":[87],"generate":[88],"data,":[89,166],"evaluate":[90],"outputs,":[91,175],"iteratively":[93],"refine":[94],"their":[95],"own":[96],"capabilities.":[97],"In":[98],"this":[99,150,192],"paper,":[100],"we":[101,195],"present":[102],"a":[103,112,125,156,206],"system-level":[104],"perspective":[105],"on":[106],"self-improving":[107,223],"introduce":[111],"unified":[113],"framework":[114],"that":[115],"organizes":[116],"existing":[117],"techniques.":[118],"We":[119,209],"conceptualize":[120],"self-improvement":[122],"system":[123],"as":[124],"closed-loop":[126],"lifecycle,":[127],"consisting":[128],"four":[130],"tightly":[131],"coupled":[132],"processes:":[133],"data":[134,136],"acquisition,":[135],"selection,":[137],"optimization,":[139],"inference":[141],"refinement,":[142],"along":[143],"with":[144],"an":[145],"evaluation":[147,179],"layer.":[148],"Within":[149],"framework,":[151],"itself":[154],"plays":[155],"central":[157],"role":[158],"driving":[160],"each":[161,203],"stage:":[162],"collecting":[163],"or":[164],"generating":[165],"selecting":[167],"signals,":[169],"updating":[170],"its":[171],"parameters,":[172],"refining":[174],"while":[176],"layer":[180],"continuously":[181],"monitors":[182],"progress":[183],"guides":[185],"improvement":[187],"cycle":[188],"across":[189],"stages.":[190],"Following":[191],"lifecycle":[193],"perspective,":[194],"systematically":[196],"review":[197],"analyze":[199],"representative":[200],"methods":[201],"component":[204],"from":[205],"technical":[207],"standpoint.":[208],"discuss":[211],"current":[212],"limitations":[213],"outline":[215],"our":[216],"vision":[217],"future":[219],"research":[220],"toward":[221],"fully":[222],"LLMs.":[224]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-01T06:00:48.157686","created_date":"2026-03-28T00:00:00"}
