mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

WebShaper: Agentically Data Synthesizing via Information-Seeking Formalization

arXiv 2507.15061 ↗First posted 20 Jul 2025cs.CL cs.AIcited by 121

Not on the map. Why?

Cited by 81 in LLM agents and tool use, but placed by its own abstract, which didn’t fit.

Abstract (arXiv)

The advent of Large Language Model (LLM)-powered agents has revolutionized artificial intelligence by enabling solutions to complex, open-ended tasks through web-based information-seeking (IS) capabilities. The scarcity of high-quality training data has limited the development of IS agents. Existing approaches typically adopt an information-driven paradigm that first collects web data and then generates questions based on the retrieval. However, this may lead to inconsistency between information structure and reasoning structure, question and answer. To mitigate, we propose a formalization-driven IS data synthesis framework WebShaper to construct a dataset. WebShaper systematically formalizes IS tasks through set theory. Central to the formalization is the concept of Knowledge Projections (KP), which enables precise control over reasoning structure by KP operation compositions. During synthesis, we begin by creating seed tasks, then use a multi-step expansion process. At each step, an agentic Expander expands the current formal question more complex with retrieval and validation tools based on our formalization. We train our model on the synthesized dataset. Experiment results demonstrate that WebShaper achieves state-of-the-art performance among open-sourced IS agents on GAIA and WebWalkerQA benchmarks.

Key facts. Cited by 121 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 32 of its 41 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 20 Jul 2025.

Builds on

32 of 41 references.

References · 32

  1. 2022Training language models to follow instructions with human feedbackcited by 15,971
  2. 2024DeepSeekMath: Pushing the Limits of Mathematical Reasoning in Open Language Modelscited by 9,379
  3. 2023Direct Preference Optimization: Your Language Model is Secretly a Reward Modelcited by 8,065
  4. 2024Qwen2.5 Technical Reportcited by 4,942
  5. 2018HotpotQA: A Dataset for Diverse, Explainable Multi-hop Question Answeringcited by 3,754
  6. 2017TriviaQA: A Large Scale Distantly Supervised Challenge Dataset for Reading Comprehensioncited by 2,955
  7. 2023A Survey on Large Language Model based Autonomous Agentscited by 2,242
  8. 2024HybridFlow: A Flexible and Efficient RLHF Frameworkcited by 2,057
  9. 2023AutoGen: Enabling Next-Gen LLM Applications via Multi-Agent Conversationcited by 1,988
  10. 2025Search-R1: Training LLMs to Reason and Leverage Search Engines with Reinforcement Learningcited by 1,444
  11. 2023GAIA: a benchmark for General AI Assistantscited by 1,128
  12. 2023mPLUG-Owl: Modularization Empowers Large Language Models with Multimodalitycited by 1,040
20 more
  1. 2024Large Language Model based Multi-Agents: A Survey of Progress and Challengescited by 769
  2. 2025BrowseComp: A Simple Yet Challenging Benchmark for Browsing Agentscited by 647
  3. 2025Search-o1: Agentic Search-Enhanced Large Reasoning Modelscited by 433
  4. 2025R1-Searcher: Incentivizing the Search Capability in LLMs via Reinforcement Learningcited by 336
  5. 2025WebThinker: Empowering Large Reasoning Models with Deep Research Capabilitycited by 335
  6. 2025DeepSeek-Prover-V2: Advancing Formal Mathematical Reasoning via Reinforcement Learning for Subgoal Decompositioncited by 287
  7. 2024DeepSeek-Prover: Advancing Theorem Proving in LLMs through Large-Scale Synthetic Datacited by 234
  8. 2025WebSailor: Navigating Super-human Reasoning for Web Agentcited by 229
  9. 2025WebDancer: Towards Autonomous Information Seeking Agencycited by 188
  10. 2025ReSearch: Learning to Reason with Search for LLMs via Reinforcement Learningcited by 161
  11. 2025BrowseComp-ZH: Benchmarking Web Browsing Ability of Large Language Models in Chinesecited by 145
  12. 2025Goedel-Prover: A Frontier Model for Open-Source Automated Theorem Provingcited by 133
  13. 2025SimpleDeepSearcher: Deep Information Seeking via Web-Powered Reasoning Trajectory Synthesiscited by 55
  14. 2025TaskCraft: Automated Generation of Agentic Taskscited by 51
  15. 2025EvolveSearch: An Iterative Self-Evolving Search Agentcited by 43
  16. 2023Complex Logical Reasoning over Knowledge Graphs using Large Language Modelscited by 28
  17. 2025DeepDiver: Adaptive Search Intensity Scaling via Open-Web Reinforcement Learningcited by 23
  18. 2025MaskSearch: A Universal Pre-Training Framework to Enhance Agentic Search Capabilitycited by 22
  19. 2025Theorem Prover as a Judge for Synthetic Data Generationcited by 14
  20. 2024Improving Complex Reasoning over Knowledge Graph with Logic-Aware Curriculum Tuningcited by 10

Built on by

Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2025: 59; 2026: 62.

121 papers.

Sort:

By area:

  1. 2025The Landscape of Agentic Reinforcement Learning for LLMs: A Surveycited by 205
  2. 2025A Survey of Reinforcement Learning for Large Reasoning Modelscited by 180
  3. 2025ReSum: Unlocking Long-Horizon Search Intelligence via Context Summarizationcited by 141
  4. 2025Mini-o3: Scaling Up Reasoning Patterns and Interaction Turns for Visual Searchcited by 120
  5. 2025WebWatcher: Breaking New Frontier of Vision-Language Deep Research Agentcited by 119
  6. 2025AgentFold: Long-Horizon Web Agents with Proactive Context Managementcited by 103
  7. 2025WebExplorer: Explore and Evolve for Training Long-Horizon Web Agentscited by 92
  8. 2025MiroThinker: Pushing the Performance Boundaries of Open-Source Research Agents via Model, Context, and Interactive Scalingcited by 81
  9. 2025Chain-of-Agents: End-to-End Agent Foundation Models via Multi-Agent Distillation and Agentic RLcited by 80
  10. 2025WebResearcher: Unleashing unbounded reasoning capability in Long-Horizon Agentscited by 68
  11. 2025Tongyi DeepResearch Technical Reportcited by 66
  12. 2025WebSailor-V2: Bridging the Chasm to Proprietary Agents via Synthetic Data and Scalable Reinforcement Learningcited by 61
38 more
  1. 2025DeepDive: Advancing Deep Search Agents with Knowledge Graphs and Multi-Turn RLcited by 55
  2. 2025Training-Free Group Relative Policy Optimizationcited by 55
  3. 2025Towards General Agentic Intelligence via Environment Scalingcited by 54
  4. 2026A Survey of Agentic Reasoning for Large Language Models: Towards Recursively Self-Improving and Collective Agentscited by 50
  5. 2025ToolOrchestra: Elevating Intelligence via Efficient Model and Tool Orchestrationcited by 47
  6. 2025WebWeaver: Structuring Web-Scale Evidence with Dynamic Outlines for Open-Ended Deep Researchcited by 46
  7. 2025Budget-Aware Tool Use Enables Effective Agent Scalingcited by 44
  8. 2025Cognitive Kernel-Pro: A Framework for Deep Research Agents and Agent Foundation Models Trainingcited by 42
  9. 2025Scaling Agents via Continual Pre-trainingcited by 40
  10. 2025Agentic Entropy-Balanced Policy Optimizationcited by 40
  11. 2025MMSearch-Plus: Benchmarking Provenance-Aware Search for Multimodal Browsing Agentscited by 38
  12. 2026Vision-DeepResearch: Incentivizing DeepResearch Capability in Multimodal Large Language Modelscited by 37
  13. 2026Vision-DeepResearch Benchmark: Rethinking Visual and Textual Search for Multimodal Large Language Modelscited by 34
  14. 2025SFR-DeepResearch: Towards Effective Reinforcement Learning for Autonomously Reasoning Single Agentscited by 31
  15. 2025MemSearcher: Training LLMs to Reason, Search and Manage Memory via End-to-End Reinforcement Learningcited by 27
  16. 2026InternAgent-1.5: A Unified Agentic Framework for Long-Horizon Autonomous Scientific Discoverycited by 27
  17. 2025A Survey on Agentic Multimodal Large Language Modelscited by 23
  18. 2025IterResearch: Rethinking Long-Horizon Agents with Interaction Scalingcited by 23
  19. 2025A Comprehensive Survey on Reinforcement Learning-based Agentic Search: Foundations, Roles, Optimizations, Evaluations, and Applicationscited by 22
  20. 2026Inference-Time Scaling of Verification: Self-Evolving Deep Research Agents via Test-Time Rubric-Guided Verificationcited by 22
  21. 2025DeepWideSearch: Benchmarking Depth and Width in Agentic Information Seekingcited by 21
  22. 2025Enterprise Deep Research: Steerable Multi-Agent Deep Research for Enterprise Analyticscited by 20
  23. 2026Terminal-World: Scaling Terminal-Agent Environments via Agent Skillscited by 20
  24. 2025Beyond Turn Limits: Training Deep Search Agents with Dynamic Context Windowcited by 19
  25. 2025Toward Effective Tool-Integrated Reasoning via Self-Evolved Preference Learningcited by 17
  26. 2025BrowseMaster: Towards Scalable Web Browsing via Tool-Augmented Programmatic Agent Paircited by 16
  27. 2025Open Data Synthesis For Deep Researchcited by 16
  28. 2025Multi-Agent Tool-Integrated Policy Optimizationcited by 16
  29. 2026Marco DeepResearch: Unlocking Efficient Deep Research Agents via Verification-Centric Designcited by 16
  30. 2025Reinforcement Learning Foundations for Deep Research Systems: A Surveycited by 14
  31. 2025AgentFrontier: Expanding the Capability Frontier of LLM Agents with ZPD-Guided Data Synthesiscited by 14
  32. 2026DynaWeb: Model-Based Reinforcement Learning of Web Agentscited by 14
  33. 2026Verified Critical Step Optimization for LLM Agentscited by 14
  34. 2025Environment Scaling for Interactive Agentic Experience Collection: A Surveycited by 13
  35. 2026OffSeeker: Online Reinforcement Learning Is Not All You Need for Deep Research Agentscited by 12
  36. 2025Learn the Ropes, Then Trust the Wins: Self-imitation with Progressive Exploration for Agentic Reinforcement Learningcited by 11
  37. 2025Repurposing Synthetic Data for Fine-grained Search Agent Supervisioncited by 11
  38. 2025InfoFlow: Reinforcing Search Agent Via Reward Density Optimizationcited by 11

50 most cited of 121 All 121 (JSON)

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2025InfoAgent: Advancing Autonomous Information-Seeking Agents
  2. 2026InfoSeeker: A Scalable Hierarchical Parallel Agent Framework for Web Information Seeking
  3. 2025InfoDeepSeek: Benchmarking Agentic Information Seeking for Retrieval-Augmented Generation
  4. 2026WebSwarm: Recursive Multi-Agent Orchestration for Deep-and-Wide Web Search
  5. 2026Web2BigTable: A Bi-Level Multi-Agent LLM System for Internet-Scale Information Search and Extraction
  6. 2025DatasetResearch: Benchmarking Agent Systems for Demand-Driven Dataset Discovery
  7. 2025Supervising the search process produces reliable and generalizable information-seeking agents
  8. 2025From Web Search towards Agentic Deep Research: Incentivizing Search with Reasoning Agents