{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7166551765","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.27379","title":"Position: The Term \"Machine Unlearning\" Is Overused in LLMs","display_name":"Position: The Term \"Machine Unlearning\" Is Overused in LLMs","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-05-08","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7166551765","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.27379"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2606.27379","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.27379","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":"Preprint"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.27379","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5139546439","display_name":"Sangyeon Yoon","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Yoon, Sangyeon","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5139552149","display_name":"Yeachan Jun","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Jun, Yeachan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5049196468","display_name":"Albert No","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6346-4182"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"No, Albert","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/T10883","display_name":"Ethics and Social Impacts of AI","score":0.24570000171661377,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3311","display_name":"Safety Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10883","display_name":"Ethics and Social Impacts of AI","score":0.24570000171661377,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3311","display_name":"Safety Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11636","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education","score":0.15029999613761902,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2718","display_name":"Health Informatics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13851","display_name":"Law, AI, and Intellectual Property","score":0.1324000060558319,"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/terminology","display_name":"Terminology","score":0.8402000069618225},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/retraining","display_name":"Retraining","score":0.6901999711990356},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/term","display_name":"Term (time)","score":0.6894000172615051},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/set","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","score":0.6715999841690063},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/confusion","display_name":"Confusion","score":0.6535000205039978},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/action","display_name":"Action (physics)","score":0.45260000228881836},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/position","display_name":"Position (finance)","score":0.42329999804496765}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C547195049","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1725664","display_name":"Terminology","level":2,"score":0.8402000069618225},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778712577","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3505966","display_name":"Retraining","level":2,"score":0.6901999711990356},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C61797465","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1188986","display_name":"Term (time)","level":2,"score":0.6894000172615051},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177264268","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1514741","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","level":2,"score":0.6715999841690063},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781140086","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q557945","display_name":"Confusion","level":2,"score":0.6535000205039978},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.4839000105857849},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780791683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846785","display_name":"Action (physics)","level":2,"score":0.45260000228881836},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C198082294","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3399648","display_name":"Position (finance)","level":2,"score":0.42329999804496765},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779304628","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3503480","display_name":"Face (sociological concept)","level":2,"score":0.4162999987602234},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C78780964","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7233193","display_name":"Position paper","level":2,"score":0.4068000018596649},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112930515","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4389547","display_name":"Risk analysis (engineering)","level":1,"score":0.40049999952316284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C21593369","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1032176","display_name":"Countermeasure","level":2,"score":0.3871999979019165},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.3646000027656555},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17744445","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36442","display_name":"Political science","level":0,"score":0.362199991941452},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777363581","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15098235","display_name":"Harm","level":2,"score":0.35659998655319214},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.3398999869823456},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C180747234","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23373","display_name":"Cognitive psychology","level":1,"score":0.3393999934196472},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C39549134","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133080","display_name":"Public relations","level":1,"score":0.32260000705718994},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C38652104","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3510521","display_name":"Computer security","level":1,"score":0.3208000063896179},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777211547","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17141490","display_name":"Training (meteorology)","level":2,"score":0.2913999855518341},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26517878","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228039","display_name":"Key (lock)","level":2,"score":0.2784999907016754},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777601897","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3409113","display_name":"Presentation (obstetrics)","level":2,"score":0.2750000059604645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.2712000012397766},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144133560","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4830453","display_name":"Business","level":0,"score":0.2624000012874603},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C539667460","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2414942","display_name":"Management science","level":1,"score":0.25519999861717224},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C42475967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q194292","display_name":"Operations research","level":1,"score":0.2531999945640564}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2606.27379","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.27379","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":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2606.27379","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.27379","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":"Preprint"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/16","display_name":"Peace, Justice and strong institutions","score":0.7387077212333679}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Large":[0],"language":[1],"models":[2],"increasingly":[3],"face":[4],"demands":[5],"to":[6,14,159],"\"forget\"":[7],"training":[8,49],"data,":[9],"knowledge,":[10],"or":[11,22,85],"behaviors":[12],"due":[13],"regulatory":[15],"deletion":[16],"obligations,":[17],"copyright/licensing":[18],"disputes,":[19],"and":[20,40,93,98,125,147,162,165],"safety":[21],"product-policy":[23],"requirements.":[24],"This":[25],"position":[26],"paper":[27],"argues":[28],"that":[29,58,68,72,108,168],"machine":[30],"unlearning":[31],"is":[32,62,111,144],"overused":[33],"as":[34],"a":[35,52],"term":[36],"in":[37],"LLM":[38],"research":[39],"should":[41],"be":[42],"reserved":[43],"for":[44,80,155,166],"dataset-defined":[45],"deletion:":[46],"removing":[47],"the":[48,59,121,170],"influence":[50],"of":[51],"precisely":[53],"specified":[54],"forget":[55],"set":[56],"such":[57],"resulting":[60],"model":[61],"approximately":[63],"indistinguishable":[64],"from":[65],"retraining":[66],"without":[67],"data.":[69],"We":[70,105,151],"contend":[71],"many":[73],"tasks":[74],"currently":[75],"labeled":[76],"\"unlearning\"":[77],"(e.g.,":[78,100,137],"refusal":[79],"harmful":[81],"requests,":[82],"entity/knowledge":[83],"removal,":[84],"targeted":[86],"suppression)":[87],"pursue":[88],"different,":[89],"often":[90],"policy-dependent":[91],"objectives":[92],"therefore":[94],"require":[95],"different":[96,117],"terminology":[97,157],"baselines":[99],"alignment,":[101],"suppression,":[102],"editing,":[103],"obfuscation).":[104],"further":[106],"argue":[107],"this":[109],"confusion":[110],"not":[112,145],"cosmetic:":[113],"because":[114],"papers":[115],"make":[116],"implicit":[118],"guarantees":[119,161],"under":[120],"same":[122],"label,":[123],"metrics":[124],"benchmarks":[126],"are":[127],"frequently":[128],"reused":[129],"outside":[130],"their":[131],"intended":[132],"scope,":[133],"rewarding":[134],"surface-level":[135],"non-disclosure":[136],"low":[138],"ROUGE/forget":[139],"accuracy)":[140],"even":[141],"when":[142],"retraining-equivalence":[143],"tested":[146],"derived":[148],"capabilities":[149],"remain.":[150],"conclude":[152],"by":[153],"calling":[154],"stricter":[156],"tied":[158],"explicit":[160],"reference":[163],"models,":[164],"evaluations":[167],"match":[169],"claimed":[171],"objective.":[172]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-01T06:00:48.157686","created_date":"2026-06-30T00:00:00"}