Large Language Model-Guided Optimization

Overview

This field studies how language models can use learned patterns and natural-language understanding to help search for better algorithms, programs, designs, prompts, and agent workflows. Common approaches combine model-generated proposals with evolutionary search, Bayesian optimization, reinforcement learning, or classical solvers, then use execution, simulator, or benchmark feedback to select and repair candidates. Applications range from combinatorial and scientific optimization to GPU kernels, compiler code, engineering design, and tuning language-model systems. A central open tension is that language models can suggest useful structures but may be unreliable, costly, or prone to overfitting, so robust evaluation, constraint checks, and comparisons with numerical methods remain essential.

Latest papers

CardsList

613 papers101 papers in the last four weeks, up 60% on the four weeks before. 0.6% of all new papers.

  1. Document Optimization for Black-Box Retrieval via Reinforcement Learning

    Apr 6, 2026Omri Uzan, Ron Polonsky, Douwe Kiela +1RL for IRLarge Language Model-Guided Optimization

  2. Optimizing LLM Prompt Engineering with DSPy Based Declarative Learning

    Apr 6, 2026Shiek Ruksana, Sailesh Kiran Kurra, Thipparthi Sanjay BaradwajLLM PromptingPrompt Optimization

  3. Evolutionary Search for Automated Design of Uncertainty Quantification Methods

    Apr 3, 2026Mikhail Seleznyov, Daniil Korbut, Viktor Moskvoretskii +3Uncertainty QuantificationLLM Uncertainty Estimation

  4. Structure-Aware Commitment Reduction for Network-Constrained Unit Commitment with Solver-Preserving Guarantees

    Apr 3, 2026Guangwen Wang, Jiaqi Wu, Yang Weng +1Power SystemsMixed-Integer Linear Programming

  5. Synapse: Evolving Job-Person Fit with Explainable Two-phase Retrieval and LLM-guided Genetic Resume Optimization

    Apr 2, 2026Ansel Kaplan Erol, Seohee Yoon, Keenan Hom +1Job-Candidate MatchingRecommender Systems

  6. CORAL: Towards Autonomous Multi-Agent Evolution for Open-Ended Discovery

    Apr 2, 2026Ao Qu, Han Zheng, Zijian Zhou +14Large Language Model-Guided OptimizationMulti-Agent Collaboration

  7. NED-Tree: Bridging the Semantic Gap with Nonlinear Element Decomposition Tree for LLM Nonlinear Optimization Modeling

    Apr 2, 2026Zhijing Hu, Yufan Deng, Haoyang Liu +1Natural Language to Optimization ModelingLarge Language Model-Guided Optimization

  8. A Self-Evolving Agentic Framework for Metasurface Inverse Design

    Apr 1, 2026Yi Huang, Bowen Zheng, Yunxi Dong +4Inverse DesignSelf-Evolving Agents

  9. Infeasibility Aware Large Language Models for Combinatorial Optimization

    Apr 1, 2026Yakun Wang, Min Chen, Zeguan Wu +3Combinatorial OptimizationLarge Language Model-Guided Optimization

  10. Optimsyn: Influence-Guided Rubrics Optimization for Synthetic Data Generation

    Apr 1, 2026Zhiting Fan, Ruizhe Chen, Tianxiang Hu +7Synthetic Data GenerationSynthetic Data Evaluation

  11. Multi-Agent LLMs for Adaptive Acquisition in Bayesian Optimization

    Mar 30, 2026Mohammadsina Almasi, Andrea Carbonati, Hadis AnahidehLarge Language Model-Guided OptimizationExploration-Exploitation Tradeoff

  12. Evolutionary Discovery of Reinforcement Learning Algorithms via Large Language Models

    Mar 30, 2026Alkis Sygkounas, Amy Loutfi, Andreas PerssonAutomated Algorithm DiscoveryEvolutionary RL

  13. Kernel-Smith: A Unified Recipe for Evolutionary Kernel Optimization

    Mar 30, 2026He Du, Qiming Ge, Jiakai Hu +18GPU Kernel OptimizationGPU Kernel Generation

  14. Meta-Harness: End-to-End Optimization of Model Harnesses

    Mar 30, 2026Yoonho Lee, Roshen Nair, Qizheng Zhang +3LLM Agent HarnessesLarge Language Model-Guided Optimization

  15. EffiSkill: Agent Skill Based Automated Code Efficiency Optimization

    Mar 29, 2026Zimu Wang, Yuling Shi, Mengfan Li +4Code OptimizationLarge Language Model-Guided Optimization

  16. AutoMS: Multi-Agent Evolutionary Search for Cross-Physics Inverse Microstructure Design

    Mar 28, 2026Zhenyuan Zhao, Yu Xing, Tianyang Xue +3Inverse DesignLarge Language Model-Guided Optimization

  17. Aligning LLMs with Graph Neural Solvers for Combinatorial Optimization

    Mar 28, 2026Shaodi Feng, Zhuoyi Lin, Yaoxin Wu +4Combinatorial OptimizationNeural Combinatorial Optimization

  18. Large Language Models as Optimization Controllers: Adaptive Continuation for SIMP Topology Optimization

    Mar 26, 2026Shaoliang Yang, Jun Wang, Yunsheng WangTopology OptimizationLarge Language Model-Guided Optimization

  19. Can LLMs Beat Classical Hyperparameter Optimization Algorithms? A Study on autoresearch

    Mar 25, 2026Fabio Ferreira, Lucca Wobbe, Arjun Krishnakumar +2Hyperparameter OptimizationLarge Language Model-Guided Optimization

  20. MolEvolve: LLM-Guided Evolutionary Search for Interpretable Molecular Optimization

    Mar 25, 2026Xiangsen Chen, Ruilong Wu, Yanyan Lan +2Molecular OptimizationLarge Language Model-Guided Optimization

  21. Understanding the Challenges in Iterative Generative Optimization with LLMs

    Mar 25, 2026Allen Nie, Xavier Daull, Zhiyi Kuang +10Large Language Model-Guided OptimizationSelf-Improving Agents

  22. From AI Assistant to AI Scientist: Autonomous Discovery of LLM-RL Algorithms with LLM Agents

    Mar 25, 2026Sirui Xia, Yikai Zhang, Aili Chen +3Automated Algorithm DiscoveryRL for Language Model Reasoning