- Large reasoning models (LRMs) can solve complex problems like mathematical proofs, but the 'chains of thought' they generate may not reflect actual reasoning processes.
- Research shows that many reasoning tokens are non-causal or meaningless, and models can produce correct answers even with incorrect or irrelevant chains of thought.
- The debate centers on whether LRMs truly reason or rely on pattern matching and approximate retrieval, with some experts calling the anthropomorphism of intermediate tokens unscientific.
- The concept of 'wishful mnemonics' explains how researchers label AI processes with human-like terms, potentially misleading understanding of how models work.