{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7162694884","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.27589","title":"What-If World: A Causal Benchmark for General World Models in Embodied Scenarios","display_name":"What-If World: A Causal Benchmark for General World Models in Embodied Scenarios","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-05-26","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7162694884","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.27589"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.27589","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.27589","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":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.27589","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137193189","display_name":"Kunlin Cai","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Cai, Kunlin","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137281716","display_name":"Rui Song","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Song, Rui","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137209074","display_name":"Jinghuai Zhang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Jinghuai","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5100649572","display_name":"Kaiyuan Zhang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7197-867X"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Kaiyuan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137256256","display_name":"Pranav Bodapati","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Bodapati, Pranav","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137192822","display_name":"Alicia Yu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Yu, Alicia","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5026365218","display_name":"Fnu Suya","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3334-6257"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Suya, Fnu","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137215472","display_name":"Mohammad Rostami","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Rostami, Mohammad","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137287455","display_name":"Jiaqi Ma","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ma, Jiaqi","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137272594","display_name":"Yuan Tian","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Tian, Yuan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":10,"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/T10775","display_name":"Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis","score":0.28769999742507935,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"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/T10775","display_name":"Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis","score":0.28769999742507935,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"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/T10709","display_name":"Social Robot Interaction and HRI","score":0.09570000320672989,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12290","display_name":"Human Motion and Animation","score":0.09179999679327011,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2207","display_name":"Control and Systems Engineering"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/22","display_name":"Engineering"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/rubric","display_name":"Rubric","score":0.6722000241279602},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/set","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","score":0.5293999910354614},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/fraction","display_name":"Fraction (chemistry)","score":0.5090000033378601},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/embodied-cognition","display_name":"Embodied cognition","score":0.4627000093460083},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-model","display_name":"Causal model","score":0.4575999975204468},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/test","display_name":"Test (biology)","score":0.40059998631477356},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/benchmark","display_name":"Benchmark (surveying)","score":0.39730000495910645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/variable","display_name":"Variable (mathematics)","score":0.3564000129699707},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/baseline","display_name":"Baseline (sea)","score":0.3264999985694885}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111640148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q847349","display_name":"Rubric","level":2,"score":0.6722000241279602},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.6373999714851379},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177264268","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1514741","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","level":2,"score":0.5293999910354614},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149629883","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q660926","display_name":"Fraction (chemistry)","level":2,"score":0.5090000033378601},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.4878999888896942},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C100609095","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1335050","display_name":"Embodied cognition","level":2,"score":0.4627000093460083},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11671645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054567","display_name":"Causal model","level":2,"score":0.4575999975204468},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777267654","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3519023","display_name":"Test (biology)","level":2,"score":0.40059998631477356},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C185798385","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1161707","display_name":"Benchmark (surveying)","level":2,"score":0.39730000495910645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.3871999979019165},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C182365436","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q50701","display_name":"Variable (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.3564000129699707},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C12725497","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q810247","display_name":"Baseline (sea)","level":2,"score":0.3264999985694885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108154423","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1469792","display_name":"Salience (neuroscience)","level":2,"score":0.3197000026702881},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107457646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207434","display_name":"Human\u2013computer interaction","level":1,"score":0.3188000023365021},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C116834253","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2039217","display_name":"Identification (biology)","level":2,"score":0.31700000166893005},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777508537","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7936620","display_name":"Visual reasoning","level":2,"score":0.3149000108242035},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C27415008","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7256382","display_name":"Psychological intervention","level":2,"score":0.3057999908924103},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C207347870","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q371174","display_name":"Gesture","level":2,"score":0.298799991607666},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C98347192","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7705804","display_name":"Test score","level":3,"score":0.28790000081062317},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C63479239","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7353546","display_name":"Robustness (evolution)","level":3,"score":0.2816999852657318},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C137002209","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q898521","display_name":"Hidden variable theory","level":3,"score":0.2777000069618225},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C64357122","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1149766","display_name":"Causality (physics)","level":2,"score":0.2703000009059906},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C36464697","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q451553","display_name":"Visualization","level":2,"score":0.26660001277923584},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C80519477","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3532236","display_name":"Scenario testing","level":3,"score":0.2540999948978424},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168167062","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1117970","display_name":"Component (thermodynamics)","level":2,"score":0.2526000142097473}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.27589","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.27589","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":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.27589","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.27589","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":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Video":[0],"generation":[1],"models":[2,196,216,226],"are":[3],"increasingly":[4],"used":[5],"as":[6,253,255],"world":[7],"simulators":[8],"for":[9],"tasks":[10],"like":[11],"driving":[12,146],"and":[13,57,106,115,134,147,175,194],"robotic":[14],"manipulation.":[15,148],"What":[16],"matters":[17],"in":[18,177],"these":[19,215],"settings":[20],"is":[21,74,82,89,151,166],"not":[22],"whether":[23,30,59,159],"a":[24,44,113,138,155,205],"single":[25],"video":[26,161],"looks":[27],"right,":[28],"but":[29,84],"the":[31,49,60,64,72,85,171,178,191,234,238,242],"model's":[32],"output":[33],"changes":[34],"when":[35],"its":[36,163,245],"input":[37],"changes.":[38],"We":[39,120],"test":[40],"this":[41,95,118],"by":[42,76,137],"giving":[43],"model":[45,92,201],"two":[46,61,99],"prompts":[47,73],"describing":[48],"same":[50],"scene":[51,173],"with":[52,153],"one":[53,80,111],"physical":[54,87,142],"detail":[55],"varied,":[56],"checking":[58,158],"videos":[62,100,110],"diverge":[63],"way":[65],"physics":[66],"predicts.":[67],"The":[68],"wording":[69],"difference":[70,88,180],"between":[71],"small":[75],"design,":[77],"since":[78],"only":[79],"variable":[81],"changed,":[83],"correct":[86,179],"not.":[90],"A":[91],"that":[93,101],"misses":[94],"can":[96,217],"still":[97],"produce":[98],"each":[102,160],"look":[103],"plausible":[104],"individually,":[105],"existing":[107],"benchmarks":[108],"score":[109,228,252],"at":[112],"time":[114],"cannot":[116],"detect":[117],"failure.":[119],"introduce":[121],"What-If":[122],"World,":[123],"319":[124],"such":[125],"prompt":[126,164],"pairs":[127],"built":[128],"on":[129,190,204],"real":[130],"frames":[131],"from":[132],"nuScenes":[133],"DROID,":[135],"organized":[136],"taxonomy":[139],"of":[140,208,237,244],"six":[141],"variables":[143],"shared":[144,172],"across":[145],"Each":[149],"pair":[150],"scored":[152],"APEO,":[154],"four-part":[156],"rubric":[157],"follows":[162],"(Adherence),":[165],"physically":[167],"consistent":[168],"(Physics),":[169],"preserves":[170],"(Environment),":[174],"ends":[176],"(Outcome).":[181],"Across":[182],"nine":[183],"state-of-the-art":[184],"models,":[185],"no":[186],"system":[187],"exceeds":[188],"52%":[189],"paired":[192],"score,":[193],"open-source":[195],"cluster":[197],"near":[198],"28%.":[199],"Every":[200],"tested":[202],"fails":[203],"large":[206],"fraction":[207],"causal":[209],"interventions,":[210],"indicating":[211],"substantial":[212],"room":[213],"before":[214],"reliably":[218],"support":[219],"action-conditioned":[220],"simulation":[221],"or":[222],"model-based":[223],"planning.":[224],"Where":[225],"do":[227],"well,":[229],"performance":[230],"appears":[231],"to":[232],"track":[233],"visual":[235],"prominence":[236],"intervention":[239],"rather":[240],"than":[241],"tractability":[243],"underlying":[246],"physics.":[247],"Some":[248],"visually":[249,258],"subtle":[250],"interventions":[251],"low":[254],"14.2%,":[256],"while":[257],"pronounced":[259],"ones":[260],"reach":[261],"40.4%.":[262]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-06-11T09:08:48.828518","created_date":"2026-05-29T00:00:00"}
