mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

Improving the Data-efficiency of Reinforcement Learning by Warm-starting with LLM

arXiv 2505.10861 ↗First posted 16 May 2025cs.LGcited by 2

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Abstract (arXiv)

We investigate the usage of Large Language Model (LLM) in collecting high-quality data to warm-start Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms for learning in some classical Markov Decision Process (MDP) environments. In this work, we focus on using LLM to generate an off-policy dataset that sufficiently covers state-actions visited by optimal policies, then later using an RL algorithm to explore the environment and improve the policy suggested by the LLM. Our algorithm, LORO, can both converge to an optimal policy and have a high sample efficiency thanks to the LLM's good starting policy. On multiple OpenAI Gym environments, such as CartPole and Pendulum, we empirically demonstrate that LORO outperforms baseline algorithms such as pure LLM-based policies, pure RL, and a naive combination of the two, achieving up to 4 × the cumulative rewards of the pure RL baseline.

Key facts. Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 44 of its 60 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 16 May 2025.

Builds on

44 of 60 references.

References · 44

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32 more
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Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2025: 1; 2026: 1.

2 papers.

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2026A Survey of Reinforcement Learning for Large Language Models under Data Scarcity: Challenges and Solutions
  2. 2024Survey on Large Language Model-Enhanced Reinforcement Learning: Concept, Taxonomy, and Methods
  3. 2024Efficient Reinforcement Learning with Large Language Model Priors
  4. 2024The RL/LLM Taxonomy Tree: Reviewing Synergies Between Reinforcement Learning and Large Language Models
  5. 2024How Can LLM Guide RL? A Value-Based Approach
  6. 2025RAPID: An Efficient Reinforcement Learning Algorithm for Small Language Models
  7. 2025ShiQ: Bringing back Bellman to LLMs
  8. 2025Kimi k1.5: Scaling Reinforcement Learning with LLMs