Every paper checked — nothing hidden

All papers

Every paper checked in the week of 12–18 Oct 2026 · Small and efficient models — nothing is hidden. Brief papers first.

PaperTopicRelevanceFeedback
Spurious Attention Heads in Vision Transformers: Mechanistic Identification of Annotation-Driven Bias in Medical Chest X-Ray Analysis
Identifies a specific vision transformer attention head that spuriously attends to medical image corner text instead of lung pathology.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not address model compression, pruning, or efficient serving.
When Does "Post-Call" Begin? An Availability Contract for Earnings-Call NLP Benchmarks
Proposes an availability framework to identify and resolve within-event timing mismatches in earnings-call financial NLP benchmarks.
Peer-reviewed
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not cover model quantization, pruning, or efficient inference.
Enhancing Multimodal RLVR with Pairwise Token Contrast and Adaptive Trajectory Confidence
Improves reinforcement learning credit assignment in multimodal reasoning using pairwise token contrast and adaptive trajectory confidence.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not focus on model compression, quantization, or serving efficiency.
Diffusion Language Models as Open Quantum Systems
Frames diffusion language models as open quantum systems to enable text generation conditioned on superpositions of prompts and thoughts.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on sampling formulations rather than model compression or efficient inference.
SceneWeave: Audience-Guided Scene Exploration for Dramatic Adaptation
Introduces a system that generates and compares alternative scene drafts to guide full dramatic script adaptations from prose.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not address model compression, pruning, or efficient deployment.
Behavioral Forgetting Is Not Privacy in Machine Unlearning
Demonstrates that machine unlearning often fails to prevent targeted information recovery across alternative multilingual access paths.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not address model compression, quantization, or inference speed.
Content associations with answer selection and engagement in supply chain community question answering
Analyzes how specific nouns and semantic clusters relate to answer selection and user engagement in logistics question-answering forums.
Peer-reviewed
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Contains no work on model efficiency, distillation, or quantization.
Dynamic ordering in sequence generation in Transformers: experiments on low-resource Tagging scenarios
Introduces a non-autoregressive transformer model that dynamically decides tag generation order at inference time for low-resource sequence labeling.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Investigates decoding order for low-resource tagging, not model compression.
TEM: Temporal State Tracking Memory for Large Language Model Agents
Presents a training-free framework that tracks changing conversational facts as versioned records to improve agent memory retrieval.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on agent memory architectures rather than model quantization or distillation.
P2TPO: Structure-Aligned Page-to-Token Credit Assignment for Full-Page Document Parsing
Proposes a reinforcement learning credit-assignment method for document parsing models to align rewards with structured page elements.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not focus on model compression, quantization, or inference speedup.
WEAVE: Weaving Real-World Code Evolution into Dependency-Structured Tasks for Benchmarking and Training Code Agents
Introduces a benchmark that structures multi-pull-request code changes into dependency graphs to evaluate long-horizon software engineering agents.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not address model compression, pruning, quantization, or efficient serving.
Effectiveness of Hidden-State Probes for Localizing Reasoning Failures
Evaluates whether internal hidden-state probes can identify failure modes and pinpoint failing steps in multi-step reasoning traces.
Peer-reviewed
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Tests 4B and 8B models but not model compression or efficiency.
Name-Bias in Large Language Models
Measures demographic bias related to age, gender, and race based on first names across local language models.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Tests local models for bias, not efficiency or compression.
Documenting Trofinetide Treatment Phenotypes in Rett Syndrome with a Dual-LLM Consensus Pipeline
Applies a dual language model consensus pipeline to extract clinical phenotypes from electronic health records for patients with Rett syndrome.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not study model compression, distillation, or serving speed.
Beyond Context Length: Characterising the Difficulty of Long-Context Reasoning
Presents a benchmark that measures long-context reasoning difficulty using evidence scope, dispersion, and reasoning depth.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Evaluates reasoning difficulty rather than efficient inference or compression.
Unfragmenting Nawatl NMT: Single-Variant Specialization for Masewalkopa
Specializes a translation model to a specific indigenous Nawatl variety using a curated dataset and finite-state morphological analysis.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Applies standard quantization to a translation model without core focus.
PremiseSQL: Evaluating Premise Critique and Abstention in Text-to-SQL Systems
Introduces a benchmark to evaluate whether text-to-SQL systems can detect flawed query premises and abstain from generating invalid SQL.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not investigate model compression, distillation, or serving efficiency.
CLUE: Uncovering Social Context for Pragmatic Understanding
Develops a two-stage training approach combining evidence reasoning and reinforcement learning to improve pragmatic social reasoning in conversational models.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Reduces reasoning tokens via prompting/RL, not model compression.
EVA-Cap: Optimizing Audiovisual Video Captioning via Event-Centric Alignment
Proposes an event-centric framework to align audio and video features when generating detailed video descriptions with language models.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not deal with quantization, distillation, or edge efficiency.
Hy-Memory-30B-A3B: Attributed Reinforcement Learning for Long-Term Memory Writing
Introduces a compact language model trained with distillation and reinforcement learning to manage long-term memory across multiple external frameworks.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
A 30B parameter model is not focused on compact efficiency.
Not X, but When: Diagnosing a Mandarin LLM Writing Tic through Contextual Appropriateness
Analyzes the overuse and contextual appropriateness of a common corrective phrasing pattern in Mandarin language model text.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not address parameter efficiency or model compression.
CAT-alyzing Honesty: Continuous Adversarial Training for Transferable LLM Honesty
Presents an adversarial training approach designed to improve language model honesty across diverse benchmarks without degrading core capabilities.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not cover efficiency, model size reduction, or quantization.
Multi-Target Few-Shot Prompting with Diffusion Language Models
Uses diffusion language models to perform multi-target few-shot infilling across shared code context guided by demonstration examples.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not investigate model compression, distillation, or efficiency.
Grid-Bench: Can LLMs Predict How Discrete Worlds Change?
Evaluates the ability of language models to predict state changes in discrete spatial grids across sequential operations.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not study small architectures, compression, or quantization.
MindEval2: Clinically Grounded Patients and Rubrics for Evaluating Language Models in Mental Health Support
Presents an evaluation framework combining simulated mental health patients and expert-developed rubrics to assess conversational language models.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not focus on model size, compression, or latency.
Training Reasoning Models to Generate Diverse Scientific Ideas
Introduces a set-level reinforcement learning objective to train language models to produce diverse and document-grounded scientific research ideas.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not explore efficiency, distillation, or edge deployment techniques.
OmniVerifier-C1: Decomposed Graded Verifier for Rule-Governed Generative World Modeling
Proposes a visual verifier that decomposes complex prompts into sub-questions and assigns continuous scores to improve multimodal evaluation.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not study model compression, quantization, or distillation.
Evaluating Model Capabilities After Benchmark Saturation
Tests whether transcripts of correctly solved tasks from saturated benchmarks can predict model performance on unseen harder evaluations.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on post-saturation benchmark evaluation, not model efficiency or compression.
AlphaDiana: A Measurement System for Agents in Verifiable Reasoning Tasks
The paper introduces a modular measurement system to evaluate how agent frameworks, tools, and memory impact verifiable reasoning tasks.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Evaluates token usage across agent harnesses, not model compression or efficient serving.
Interpreting Language Model Parameters
The paper introduces a parameter decomposition method to interpret the mechanistic subcomponents of language model weights.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on interpretability and parameter decomposition rather than model compression for deployment.
Reference-Guided Turn-Taking Style Transfer for Full-Duplex Spoken Language Models
The paper identifies an internal activation direction in spoken language models to control and transfer conversational turn-taking styles.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Studies activation steering vectors, not model compression or efficient serving.
When Reality Outpaces Cognition: A New Scaling Principle for Reliable Intelligence
The paper presents a metric and benchmark measuring how quickly environment dynamics can change before agent decision-making fails.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on biological-inspired cognition speed rather than model quantization or lightweight deployment.
ARIA: Runtime Inspection and Amendment for Multi-Agent Systems
The paper presents a framework and dataset for learning to detect and repair errors during multi-agent system execution.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not focus on model compression, quantization, or efficient inference.
When Reasoning Traces Conflict with Evidence: How Answer Configuration Shapes Evidence Following
The paper analyzes how answering via a separate model call improves evidence adherence when reasoning traces conflict with provided context.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not explore model compression, distillation, quantization, or efficient serving.
A Self-Improving Agent that Grows its Own DSL: Oracle-Free Operator Induction for Exact Question Answering
The paper presents an agent that expands its domain-specific language for exact answering without external rewards or judges.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on operator induction, not model compression or serving.
Amortizing Sequential Experimental Design in Reasoning LLMs
The paper trains reasoning models to perform sequential experimental design by optimizing information-gain rewards during action selection.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Studies Bayesian experimental design training, not model compression.
Evolving Together, Failing Apart: The Skill-Policy Co-evolution Trap in Self-Improving Agents
The paper investigates performance vulnerabilities in self-improving agents when their co-evolved skill banks undergo post-deployment drift.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Analyzes agent policy drift, not efficient inference or quantization.
Probing Negation Understanding in Vision-Language Models With Object Attention
The paper analyzes how vision-language models process negation by comparing model attention mechanisms with human eye-tracking data.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Probes attention patterns, not model compression or efficiency.
SHRED: Self-Play for Heterogeneous Road-Users without Expert Demonstrations
The paper presents a self-play reinforcement learning framework to simulate interactions between vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists without human demonstrations.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Multi-agent traffic simulation, not efficient model serving.
Wrong Votes, Right Gradients: Why Majority-Vote Rewards Track Verifiable RL
The paper analyzes why reinforcement learning with majority-vote rewards provides effective training gradients despite noisy individual labels.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Studies gradient behavior in RL, not model compression.
TGrasp6D: Task-Informed Vision-Language Priors and Pose Refinement enable Zero-Shot Task-Oriented 6DoF Grasping
The paper presents a zero-shot vision-language method for generating task-oriented robotic grasps in 6 degrees of freedom.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Robotics grasping method, not model quantization or distillation.
Replicable Dueling Bandits
The paper develops replicable algorithms with sublinear regret bounds for the dueling bandits problem.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Theoretical online learning work, not model compression or efficiency.
Defining and Generating Compositional Structure
The paper formalizes compositional structure in complex systems using algorithmic information theory and compression concepts.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Theoretical compositionality study, not model compression or serving.
SkillNEO: Non-Elitist Evolutionary Optimization of Agent Skills
The paper proposes a non-elitist evolutionary optimization framework that retains and iteratively refines low-reward agent skills using execution feedback.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Optimizes prompt/skill artifacts rather than model efficiency or compression.
Same Context, Different Agents: A Behavioral Study of Semantic Layers, Orchestration and Compaction in Data Agents
The paper studies how semantic layers, orchestration, and compaction impact the performance and behavior of data agents across benchmarks.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Analyzes prompt compaction in agents rather than small model architectures.
Learning to Read Out: Unembedding Dynamics in Language Model Pretraining
The paper investigates when language models learn capabilities by tracking unembedding matrix dynamics during pretraining using parameter-trajectory crosscoding.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Studies pretraining representation dynamics rather than small model efficiency techniques.
ReviewPilot: A Multi-Agent System for Screening and Data Extraction in Systematic Reviews
Presents a multi-agent system for paper screening and data extraction in systematic literature reviews following standard guidelines.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Does not study model compression, distillation, or efficient serving.
PremiseCheck: Efficient Fact-Checking of Human and AI Peer Reviews
Combines language models and lightweight decision models to fact-check statements in peer reviews against original manuscripts.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Combines models for cost efficiency but does not focus on small model techniques.
Athanor: An Agent-Native System for Autonomous Post-Training Research
Develops an open agent environment for evaluating how autonomously language agents can conduct post-training machine learning experiments.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Uses small base models as subjects but does not focus on efficiency techniques.
Bellman-Consistent Trajectory RL for LLM Arithmetic Reasoning
Applies trajectory Bellman residual minimization to turn sparse rewards into dense token signals for arithmetic reasoning.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on training RL algorithms rather than model compression or efficient serving.
A Jury, Not an Electorate: Label-Free Reliability Estimation for Ensembles of Language Models
Estimates language model ensemble member reliability from unlabeled agreement patterns using an expectation-maximization jury formulation.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Uses ensembles of existing small models rather than proposing model compression or distillation.
SIEVE: Overcoming Topological Obstruction in Equivariant Self-Supervised Learning
Introduces an equivariant self-supervised learning framework that avoids topological collapse in 3D point cloud masked autoencoding.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Addresses representation geometry rather than small models, quantization, or inference acceleration.
Probe-and-Resume: When and How to Evaluate Agent Execution
Evaluates test-time search in computer-use agents, finding critics perform better when invoked only at predicted final states.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on search policies rather than model compression or inference efficiency.
MemComposer: Learning to Assemble Memories for LLM Agents via Reinforcement Learning
Uses reinforcement learning to train an agent module that selects, sizes, and orders retrieved memories for downstream tasks.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on memory assembly policies rather than model quantization, pruning, or serving.
ToolBottleneckBench: Measuring Tool-Agent Performance under Controlled Pressures and Fixed Harness Budgets
Measures tool-agent performance failures under controlled harness limits such as completion caps and tool menu visibility.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on tool calling and harness limits rather than model compression or quantization.
Planning Commitment of LLM under Partial Observability
Analyzes trade-offs between aggressive and conservative planning horizons in language models operating under partial observability.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Examines planning commitment trade-offs rather than model compression or efficient serving.
Kolab: Benchmarking Human-Agent Collaboration in Long-Horizon Workflows
Introduces a dataset benchmarking human-agent interaction and collaboration across long-horizon professional workflows.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Focuses on collaborative interaction datasets rather than model compression or inference efficiency.
DST-Net: Decomposed Spatio-Temporal Network for Time Series Forecasting
Presents a decomposed network architecture that applies separate graph and convolution modules to trend and seasonal time series components.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Designs a forecasting network rather than efficient LLM inference or distillation.
When Judges Agree and Are Wrong: Consistency-Accuracy Dissociation as a Blind Spot for Label-Free Evaluation
Examines failure modes in label-free evaluation where models reach high consistency across perturbations while generating identical incorrect answers.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Studies evaluation metrics rather than model compression, quantization, or serving efficiency.
Language Models Share a Readout Bottleneck in Working Memory
Analyzes working memory error patterns in language models to show that failures stem from readout interference rather than target retrieval.
Preprint
Small and efficient models
via arxiv · 17 Oct, 06:17
Not relevant
Examines internal memory attention across models without introducing efficiency or compression techniques.
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